Birds of a Feather
by Master of The Blood Wolves
Summary: NCIS\Maximum Ride\Scarecrow\Artemis Fowl\NCIS Los Angeles: A marine is killed in a shootout with two Erasers dispatched too kill and hide a bird kid. The Bird kid escapes and meets everyones favourite NCIS team. Can the team stop the lab's evil work?
1. Chapter 1

Birds of a Feather

**Maximum Ride\NCIS crossover, may or may not feature the flock.**

**Will definitely feature everyone's favourite team of special agents and a couple of OC's.**

**Might feature characters from Matthew Riley's **_**Scarecrow**_** series, although they'll probably feature late on and probably won't do anything major.**

**Disclaimer: I own neither MR, NCIS or the **_**Scarecrow**_** series. (Bugger.)**

**I do own any and all OC's. (Which is something…)**

**Chapter soundtrack: NCIS theme music***

***Something new I've decided too try, look up the songs, they probably have some relevance to the chapter, and they'll probably be good songs besides.**

**So, here's the prologue!**

Prologue: Crosshairs

Gunnery Sergeant Scott McGuire, was out practicing his field craft skills.

He carried his M16 across his chest pointed at the ground, he scanned his immediate area with a practiced eye, watching for targets.

He was at a secret military base, some 100km from Washington DC, it's purpose was as a training ground for military personnel, who specialised in woodland warfare.

He was a long way off the beaten track of the course, but he'd notified his CO of where he was going.

His CO had given him the go ahead on the condition he took his gun, there were reports of bears in the woods, further out from the training course.

Evidence as well, in the forms of their kills.

McGuire wasn't scared.

He'd been on black opp's against Al-Qaeda in the harsh wilderness of Siberia.

A stray bear was nothing.

He was a fair way off when he saw something in his peripheral vision, off to his left, behind a clump of bushes.

Without hesitation he took cover behind a tree near the bushes.

He cautiously peered around the tree's trunk, flicking the safety off his M16 just in case it was a bear.

He saw a pair of men in their late twenties, looking around a clearing in frustration, they were in a small gulley, that ran east-west, that McGuire had been walking parallel too.

Mcguire flattened himself to the ground and lined the two men in his crosshairs, they were in a restricted area, and judging by the automatic pistols at their wastes, they probably meant trouble.

They were a distance away, so they didn't see McGuire watching them.

McGuire could here them though.

'Where the hell did she go? I told you to watch her Mikey!' Said the man on the left.

'I dunno Frank, and I was watching her, not my fault she set your jacket on fire is it?' Replied the other man angrily, who McGuire assumed was Mikey.

There was a scrabbling sound, then a quiet gasp and the two men looked up sharply.

Several dead sticks dropped onto McGuire, he risked glancing up, and was just in time too see a girl of about fourteen lose her grip on a tree branch and fall.

The two men rushed towards McGuire.

McGuire nearly panicked, then the girl landed nimbly not two metres from him and made a break north.

The two men followed her.

McGuire reached for his radio, then he stopped as he saw something that made his heart skip a beat:

The two men were _changing_, they sprouted hair all over their bodies, their jaws distended and became like muzzles, and their fingertips sprouted vicious claws, they began chasing the girl, howling like the damned.

McGuire went for his radio, and followed the men in a half crouch.

'Base, this is , Cricket' said McGuire, using his operational callsign, he'd earned on his first mission as Marine Recon, from the legendary, Captain Shane 'Scarecrow' Schofield, who'd commented on how 'chirpy' McGuire was; 'I've got some serious shit going on out here.'

'This is base Cricket, what's up?' Replied the radio officer calmly and professionally.

'I just came across two men in their late twenties, looking around the area, they're hunting a teenage girl about fourteen years old, and are armed with automatic pistols; and, you're not gonna believe this, but those men just turned into freakin' wolf-men right in front of me!' Said McGuire in a slightly freaked but level voice, 'I'm currently tracking the hostiles, permission too engage if things get hot?'

There was a silence, McGuire continued after the two men, M16 at the ready, he could hear them somewhere in front of him, he could also hear the panicked cries of the girl.

McGuire's jaw tightened, even if he was told too stand down McGuire was going too shoot the two creeps and hang the consequences.

'Cricket, this is Base Commander Ivan Sturn callsign 'Skipper', tail those two men but do not engage, I repeat do not engage!' Said Commander Sturn sternly.

'Roger Skipper, replied McGuire, 'what about the girl?' asked McGuire in concern.

'She's on her own, this is priority one stuff, from the director of the CIA!' Replied Sturn seriously.

'Ooh, do ya hear that, Frank, we're priority one stuff!' Growled the hyper-muscled wolf man that the man called Mikey had turned into off to McGuire's left.

'I sure did Mikey.' Growled the wolf man called Frank with more than a hint of barely contained rage in his voice, from behind McGuire as McGuire brought up his M16 and turned too face the two.

McGuire switched his radio's microphone on completely and pocketed it.

The two wolf men had their pistols out and pointed at McGuire's chest.

It was a Mexican stand-off that could only end one way.

The seconds ticked by, then, McGuire depressed the trigger on his M16 and shot Mikey in the chest, just as both Mikey and Frank opened fire on McGuire.

As McGuire lay bleeding his last on the forest floor, he had the satisfaction of seeing the hellish mutant called Mikey writhing in agony from a gut shot.

Then Frank stood over McGuire and levelled his pistol at his head; McGuire looked away as Frank pulled the trigger.

The last thing he saw was a girl wearing a hospital gown watching fearfully and unnoticed from the branches of a tree.

**Okay, there's the prologue, please review, and let me know if you want Scarecrow and his squad to feature or not.**

**If so, the NCIS timeline is after season seven, the **_**Scarecrow **_**timeline is after Area 7, pre-Scarecrow and the Maximum Ride timeline is after MAX, pre-FANG.**

**Confusing I know, and completely screwed round timeline wise, nut there you go.**

**Reviews please, mightn't be able to update regularly, but I'll do my best.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

**Saved by the BOLO**

**I don't own MR or NCIS or Scarecrow, I own any and all OC's in this story, so too everyone else with an OC: Stop sharpening those damn pitchforks, this doesn't need too be a witch hunt!**

**Any way read on and enjoy.**

**Review afterwards.**

**Song of the Chapter: Learn to Fly (Shannon Noll)**

I was really tired.

After escaping from the Erasers, watching that soldier-guy get shot, making sure that bonehead, Frank had lost my trail, and then creeping towards DC on foot, I was nearly beat.

In case you're in the slightest bit interested, my name (according to me) is Alexa Angelos.

The name those contemptible genetics dropouts had for me died when they decided to have me killed.

In case you hadn't already guessed, yeah I'm a bird-kid, but due to the fact I've spent only about four hours outside of the hellhole I spent the last fifteen odd years in, I have got nearly zip clue on how to fly.

I came to a clearing all of a sudden.

Call me crazy, but this seemed to me to be a message that went kinda like this: _Come on Alexa, spread your wings and learn to fly._

So, cautiously, I spread my wings, 16 feet across, blue-black with dark brown primaries, my wings looked _awesome_, if I do say so myself.

'Boss? Found he-_Whoa_!' Yelled a man in a suit a ways behind me.

I looked sharply over my shoulder, there was a man in his early thirties behind me by about a hundred metres, wearing a suit, he had a digital camera slung around his neck.

Now, I'm new too the whole bird-kid-on-the-run thing, but I don't think being seen by a federal agent is a good idea, particularly if they've got a camera.

And how did I know this guy was a fed? Gut feeling, that's how.

Faster than the fed could react, I took a quick run up and launched myself into the sky like a stinger missile, climbing fast, then diving towards the canopy and hugging the treetops.

I was a bit wonky from lack of practice but, _this_ was the _only way _to travel! I beat my wings steadily, feeling how powerful they were, even though they'd been neglected all their life.

With a growing feeling of hope, I flew towards Washington DC.

And if you're wondering why I can think like I can, and know so much, the short answer is, I can read minds.

And sooo much more.

Special Agent Leroy-Jethro Gibbs exited the elevator and strode towards the squad room.

As usual, McGee, Tony and Ziva were having an argument.

'All I'm saying McGiggle, is that the X-men comics, while iconic classics, pale in comparison to the silver screen brilliance, that is the X-men movie quad-' he didn't get any further as Gibbs slapped him smartly across the back of the head.

'Be thankful I haven't got steel claws, DiNnozzo, or I'd have killed you ages ago with all the head-slaps I've had to give you.

As Gibbs sat down at his desk his phone rang. He answered it: 'Yeah, Gibbs.'

He listened intently for a minute while Ziva had a last say in the argument.

'It does not matter which version of this 'Wolverine' tried to get into a fight with me,' she said, 'There wouldn't be enough left of him to be identified using even _dental records_.'

'Dead marine, call Ducky, gas the truck.' Said Gibbs as he put on his trench coat, snagging his coffee, and striding smartly towards the elevator all at the same time.

The other three followed quickly, not forgetting anything in their hurry too follow their boss, with the ease of long practice.

Two hours later, Gibbs and his team were at their crime scene, two bodies, one a marine, who'd taken enough kill-shots to drop a _company_ of marines, let alone one man, and the other an extremely muscular man with an excess of body-hair, who'd taken several shot's from an M16 too his torso, any one of which was a fatal wound.

'Yes, Jethro,' Said Dr. Donald 'Ducky' Mallard in a calm voice that sounded almost jovial due to his British accent, 'Your marine's chest wounds, aren't what killed, him, it's the head-shot that finished him, but he was a long way gone due too blood-loss, his killer was just making sure.'

'And the dirt bag?' Asked Gibbs taking a long draw on his coffee.

'He died shortly after this poor fellow, from massive amounts of blood-loss from his wounds, and in a great deal of pain too I'd imagine, judging by how churned up the forest floor is around him.'

'Thanks Duck,' said Gibbs then he went too get the base commander's statement.

'What happened commander Sturn?' Asked Gibbs calmly.

'Gunny Sergeant McGuire was out walking when he came across a pair of suspicious characters;' The commander paused and swallowed, 'according to him, they were chasing a fourteen year old girl, he pursued them, but they doubled back and ambushed him, we heard their names over the radio, if it's any help.'

'You heard their names?' Asked Gibbs sure it was a ruse too shake investigators off the killer's trail.

'Yes sir, McGuire was a smart son-of-gun, never missed a beat, he kept his microphone on the whole time, the two guys who jumped McGuire called themselves…uh… Mikey and Frank, that's right, anyway, after they spoke, there was silence for about a minute then all of a sudden the radio went berserk, like all three of 'em fired at once.'

'Well, he took one of 'em with him, commander,' Gibbs nodded to the bullet ridden remains of the hairy, muscular man.

'That he did sir,' agreed Sturn with more than a hint of satisfaction.

'What about this girl?' Asked Gibbs.

'Guess she got away, we didn't here anymore about her.' Answered Sturn.

'We're going to need the radio logs from during this incident, all of 'em.' Said Gibbs calm as ever.

'Will do sir,' said Sturn snapping a crisp salute.

Gibbs thanked Commander Sturn for his time, then went in search of Tony. _Funny how irony works,_ thought Gibbs, thinking of his old mentor Mike Franks.

'DiNnozzo!' Shouted Gibbs after he looked around and found Special Agent DiNnozzo had disappeared.

Right on cue, DiNnozzo appeared out of nowhere and came hurtling towards Gibbs.

'Boss!' He said breathlessly, 'you'll never guess what I just found!' Anthony DiNnozzo looked as if he'd just discovered life on another planet.

'It'd better be damn good, DiNnozzo, too excuse you goofing off from the crime-scene.' Said Gibbs in a level but clearly irritated tone.

'Boss, I've got good news, bad news, and incredible news, which do you want to hear first?' Said DiNnozzo, grinning from ear to ear.

Gibbs rolled his eyes to heaven and took a deep breath.

'Okay good news,' said DiNozzo quickly, 'I found the girl, and managed to snap a photo of her before she gave me the slip, which happens to be the bad news, the incredible news is…' DiNnozzo, trailed off and mutely, showed Gibbs the last photo he'd taken:

It showed a black haired, pale, girl wearing a hospital gown, standing at the edge of a clearing.

'What DiNnozzo, is so incredible about that,?' Asked Gibbs in exasperation, at that minute, McGee walked over curiously and took a look at the camera, then blanched in complete shock.

'Boss… that girl…she-she has _wings_! She's a _recombinant DNA lifeform_!' Said McGee in complete awe.

Gibbs took another look at the picture, _Abby is going to faint when she sees this._ Thought Gibbs silently.

'Yeah, a mutant, this is going to be a weird one.' Gibbs predicted then went too where DiNozzo had seen the girl; It didn't take long for Gibbs to find something.

'Ziva! Evidence bag!' Shouted Gibbs.

Ziva David hurried over and held open an evidence bag.

'What is it?' Asked Ziva.

Gibbs held up a two foot long black feather.

'I don't know, but it's probably important.' Said Gibbs with absolute certainty.

I came in for a landing in an alley way across from a second-hand store.

Cautiously I looked around too make sure there weren't any crack-heads or scum bags around, then tucked in my wings and stealthily crossed the deserted street and checked the building for alternate entrances.

I hit the jackpot, the backdoor was un-alarmed.

Using my ever-so-potent telekinetic powers, I unlocked the door and entered the store.

For the next hour, I worked on a new out fit.

I settled on a pair of black cargo pants, a dark blue zip-up hoodie, a black long sleeved shirt, a pair of thick navy blue, woollen socks and a pair of knee-high boots.

I checked how I looked in a mirror. Not bad, and bonus, I'd be really hard too see in the dark.

I went hunting around and eventually found a box cutter, which I used to cut wing slits in my new clothes.

I pocketed the box cutter without a second thought.

First bastard who tried to grab me would have a very nasty scar for their efforts.

I glanced guiltily at the till.

I had no money but I felt guilty enough about stealing the clothes, plus the till was probably wired too an alarm.

With a weary sigh I pulled on my new clothes and made my way back out onto the street, snagging a back-pack on my way out, hey, I might feel a little guilty about the theft, but if I get it all in one go, less chance I'll leave evidence right?

I exited the building, relocked the door then walked off towards the city centre, hoping I'd find a soup kitchen along the way.

The elevator dinged and Gibbs strode out of the elevator and into the squad room.

Ziva, Tony and McGee were already, doing a background check on McGuire.

'What do we have?' Asked Gibbs as he sat down.

'Nothing as yet boss,' said McGee tapping furiously on his keyboard.

'McGuire, got promoted to the recon division two years ago, has served in a number black opps, most notably, a opp against Al-Qaeda in 2009, in Siberia; his first couple of missions, he served under Captain Shane M. Schofield, for his first couple of missions, before he was put on the Siberia opp.' Said McGee succinctly.

'Enemies?' Prompted Gibbs.

'None, he got on exceptionally well with his colleagues, without so much as an argument over baseball teams.' Said Ziva without looking up from her work.

'What about the girl?' I've got a BOLO out on her boss, face only, no need too freak the local LEO's, with the whole wings thing, I'll let you know when we get a hit.' Said Tony, reclining in his chair, with his feet on his desk and fingers laced behind his head, a not uncommon position to find him in.

'Good work, let me know when you've got something.' Said Gibbs, as he got up and strode over to the elevator.

As he headed down to Autopsy, Gibbs turned over the pieces of the puzzle in his head.

The girl, he was sure was somehow at the heart of the matter.

He'd seen reports on the news from all across America of alleged sightings of winged children, but up until now, they'd always rated an eight or nine on his bullshit metre.

The elevator dinged, snapping Gibbs out of his reverie.

As he walked into Autopsy, Ducky spoke.

'Ah, Jethro right on time, I was correct on both counts, cause of death on Gunnery Sergeant McGuire was a single gunshot wound too the head; as for this man, exsanguination, due too multiple gunshots too the torso region, it's a safe bet he died in excruciating pain; but I discovered something interesting, during his examination,' He pointed to a set of X-rays on a light box on the wall.

'What am I looking at Duck?' Asked Gibbs calmly.

'These are the X-rays of the mystery man's head, notice that the jaw-bone is slightly elongated, and his teeth appear to be all jumbled up? I don't think this man is all that he seems.' Said Dr Mallard in a mysterious tone that sounded all the more dramatic, once again due too his British accent.

'You mean he could be like that girl DiNnozzo saw?' Asked Gibbs more for confirmation than anything else.

'Well, not exactly, this man, could just be naturally heavily muscled, and have very poor dental health, but somehow even though it seems so outlandish, I believe this man just might be another form of mutant; but we'll have to wait for Abigail's DNA tests to come in before we come to any hard conclusions.'

'Right, thanks Duck.' Said Gibbs and left.

'Always, on the move…' Muttered Ducky absently as the doors hissed shut.

Gibbs walked briskly up the stairs to forensics-after a brief stop at the canteen's vending machines- and was greeted by a cacophony that could have been classified as auditory assault.

As he walked in, Abby Sciuto glanced up from the evidence table and waved.

'Hi Gibbs.' She said sweetly and hugged him briefly.

'Hey what? No Caf-Pow?' Asked Abby in a scandalised tone.

'I'll bring one down later, Abby,' said Gibbs levelly, keeping the red and white cup out of sight.

Abby pouted.

'Abbs? What have you got for me?

'Caf-Pow first.' Said Abby sounding for all the world like a six-year-old who'd been denied desert.

Gibbs relented and handed over the caffeine-rich drink.

'Yay.' Said Abby and placed the drink at her computer bench.

Gibbs took the opportunity too switch off the music.

'Now, what have you got for me Abbs?' Asked Gibbs again with infinite patience.

'Not much, but I can tell you with absolute certainty, that the photo of the winged girl, completely authentic.'

'I knew that Abbs.' Said Gibbs taking a sip of coffee.

'No, I mean, those wings are real, not part of a suit.' Said Abby, bringing up the picture on the computer screen and zooming in on where the girl's wings connected too her shoulders.

'Anything else?' Asked Gibbs in his trademark calm tone of voice.

'Yeah, I ran a DNA test on the mystery man Ducky's got down stairs, and I found something hinky.'

'Hinky?' Asked Gibbs curiously.

'Yeah, about forty percent of his DNA isn't human, it's wolf.'

'And bird-girl?' Asked Gibbs taking another swig of coffee to stifle the many questions that one answer produced.

'I ran a DNA test on that feather you found, and, surprise, surprise, ninety-eight percent human, one percent raven, one percent Australian Wedge-tail Eagle.' Said Abby matter-of-factly.

'That's good work Abbs.' Said Gibbs approvingly as his phone rang.

'What is it Tony?' Asked Gibbs as he answered it.

'We've got a hit on the BOLO, at a soup kitchen near the docks.'

'I'm on my way up, let's get moving.' Said Gibbs as he left the lab.

'See ya Abbs.' Said Gibbs as he walked out.

''Bye.' Called Abby absently, when she was sure Gibbs was gone and no-one was coming to see her, Abby opened a tab she had been reading.

It was a blog.

Quickly Abby sent a short e-mail too the blog's owner it read:

_Dear Fang_

_I'm a forensic scientist at NCIS, please don't hold that against me, I'm not a sadist like the bad-guys you've been running from._

_I'm currently working on a case that involves a bird-kid like you._

_Special Agent Gibbs just left to try and track her down._

_Just thought you might want to come and get her before things get messy._

_Abby out __J._

With that Abby sent the e-mail off and closed the tab and went back to running the ballistics on the many, many bullets that Ducky had pulled out of the two men.

I walked absently down a lane formed by a pair of warehouses and quickly finished the cup of soup I'd got at the dockside soup kitchen.

Suddenly some creep jumped me from behind and pushed me to the ground.

Big mistake.

Using telekinesis I threw him off and against a wall, then jack knifed to my feet and pulled out the box cutter.

Then a second creep tried the same trick.

I spun on the ball of my foot and kicked him in the groin.

I then hurled the box cutter at the first bastard.

It caught him in the shoulder, and he howled in agony.

One down and then the second guy tried to grab me again.

No telekinesis this time.

Concentrating hard, I conjured a fireball around each hand, and hurled them at the second creep, and caught him full in the face.

He screamed so loud he went hoarse and collapsed to the ground.

Not sticking around, I used a telekinetic assisted jump to go through a warehouse window and landed inside.

It was full of crates, and from the window it looked a helluva lot like a maze, though in actual fact, it was in a grid pattern.

I started to walk fast towards the main entrance, which was wide open.

When I reached it I saw four people in suits headed straight towards the warehouse.

They saw me at the same time I saw them.

One was a tall, older man, with blue eyes and salt-and-pepper grey hair, the second man was slightly shorter and kinda on the chubby side, with brown hair, the third man I recognised as the fed I'd seen earlier.

The forth was a woman with dark tan skin, black hair and brown eyes.

And how did I pick so much detail in the dark? Raptor vision that's how.

They started as they saw me then broke into a dead run straight at me.

I bolted straight back into the warehouse and began to weave a confusing trail, when I looked back I saw the tall, lean brown haired fed from earlier, chasing after me, I poured on the speed straight ahead, out the pier-side warehouse entrance and straight into the waiting arms of the two creeps I'd minced earlier.

They didn't look too crash hot, but they did look pissed, they grabbed an arm each and threw me too the ground, the second creep put his boot on my throat and the first creep leaned forward and reached for my throat with the bloodied blade of the box cutter, with a sick grin on his face.

I closed my eyes calmly and prepared for death.

I didn't need too see this.

All of a sudden I heard the staccato bangs of four separate semi-automatic pistols firing over the top of each other.

I felt the creep with his boot on my throat spasm as he was hit by the barrage, and heard the thud as he hit the ground.

A split second later I heard the same thing and the second creep was thrown bodily off me by the combined fire.

I was exhausted: Physically from flying, fighting and fifteen years of deprivation; mentally, from using telekinesis so much and then conjuring the fire which took an immense effort and was a bitch to control; and finally, emotionally, from guilt, fear, panic, and every other powerful emotion I'd felt today.

So I just lay there.

I just wish my 'knights-in-black-suits' had left me there, though.

**There's chapter two, please review, and I'll be doing a third-person Gibbs tracking, view of that last bit, next chapter and go from there.**

**Query; Should I do Kevin getting kidnapped by Itex, or, the CIA trying to muscle in on Gibbs' investigation?**

**For those who don't know, Kevin is the Genetically engineered cure to a bio-weapon that is a pivotal element in **_**Area 7**_**. So Read and review, love to here ideas.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Meeting Gibbs

**Heeereee's Chapter 3!**

**I don't own **_**Scarecrow**_**, MR or NCIS**

**I do own any OC's that feature in this story.**

**Chapter soundtrack: Fear (Stop Making Friends (Pauley Perrette)**

Gibbs and his team arrived at the docks in record time, because Ziva was driving.

'Dear God, Ziva! One of these days you're going to kill us all, driving like that!' Said Tony shakily as he got shakily out of the car.

'Alright let's go.' Said Gibbs quickly before the comment could spark an argument.

Suddenly a hideous scream of agony split the air.

It came from the direction of the nearest warehouse.

Gibbs noticed in a detached way, that the warehouse was the exact same one, he'd nearly died in front of several years earlier, when he'd driven a car off the wharf.

As they came up too the open entrance too the crate filled warehouse, A girl came walking out towards them at a brisk pace, then stopped dead.

'That's her boss,' whispered DiNnozzo, as they all stopped dead.

'I think she might have seen us,' said DiNnozzo at the exact same time as the girl turned tail and ran back into the warehouse.

'Ya think DiNnozzo?' Asked Gibbs sarcastically as they all ran into the warehouse and fanned out, each taking one of the central isles.

Gibbs ran down the centre isle headed to try and intercept the girl before she could fly away.

'NCIS, stop!' Shouted DiNnozzo from off too Gibbs' right.

The girl made it too the entrance of the warehouse and ran right into a creep with a bloody shoulder wound and a bloodied, box cutter and a second man with bad looking burns on his face, and no eyebrows.

They shoved the girl too the ground and No-eyebrows held her down with a boot on her throat as Shoulder-wound knelt forward with the box cutter extended.

Without thinking, Gibbs stopped and fired three shots, which were joined by three additional sets of triple-taps, which caught No-eyebrows, full in the chest, shattering his ribs, pulping his vital organs and throwing him bodily back at least three feet from the girl.

Gibbs switched targets right after the first triple-tap and repeated the spread with Box-cutter, his shots accompanied by rounds from McGee's, Ziva's and DiNnozzo's weapons.

Every shot slammed into Box-cutter's chest with the force of a hammer-blow sending him crashing backwards, in a shower of blood, and causing him to spasm and send the box cutter arcing through the air and into the water.

The girl just lay there as if unconscious.

Gibbs shot looks left and right and wasn't surprised too see the rest of his team holding smoking guns.

Without comment the four of them cautiously, approached the girl.

Ziva knelt beside the girl and checked her pulse.

'She is alive, but I think she might be faking being unconscious.' Stated Ziva calmly.

Gibbs knelt too pick her up, but at that precise moment, the girl 'woke' up.

After the two creeps got shot I just lay there on the wharf and hoped these supposed 'agents' would simply call an ambulance and put me in a hospital under guard.

I heard footsteps approaching, and just in case, I wearily used my mind reading abilities too check for hostile intent.

I felt warm, but firm fingers touch my neck.

'She is alive, but I think she might be faking being unconscious.' Stated a female voice.

I felt another mind approach; this one was nigh on impossible too read, and really calm, like, he could be standing in a room full of erasers, with each eraser holding two guns a-piece, and still ask about the weather.

I did get a fuzzy feeling of concern and an even hazier impression of moving me.

Ok, I _might_ be exhausted but I wasn't _dead. _So no way was I going too be carried.

With a low and dramatic moan I picked myself up as if I'd just woken from a deep sleep.

I looked around as if in confusion, and then recoiled as if in shock when I saw the four agents from before.

The one with the grey hair edged forward.

'Whoa, take it easy, those dirt bags can't hurt you now.'

I made the mistake of looking him in the eyes; they were a cold, ice blue, absolutely vivid and hypnotic.

'My name is Special Agent Leroy-Jethro Gibbs, and I work for NCIS, it stands for-'

'Naval Criminal Investigative Service.' I finished for him; there'd been quite an uproar years back when an Itex director infected an NCIS agent with a enhanced version of the Pneumonic Plague.

They were scared NCIS would stumble on their genetics experiments.

I really wish they had've.

I quickly looked down, looking away from his hypnotic gaze; It was then I noticed my clothes were covered in blood. It took me a second too remember it wasn't mine.

Gibbs looked at me for a second as if trying to read _my_ mind, then said:

'I realise you probably don't want too but, We need you to come back too the Navy Yard with us, and answer a few questions.'

I pretended too consider, for a moment before saying firmly and flatly: 'No.'

The slightly short, chubby, fed snapped a cell-phone shut and approached Gibbs.

'Boss, Ducky is on the way with the truck to pick up the bodies.' He said succinctly.

'Alright McGee,' he said and shot a look behind him, 'DiNnozzo!' He shouted sharply at the tall brown haired guy, 'Go get our gear, we'd better start treating this like a crime-scene.' When he finished, The tall, brown haired agent-DiNnozzo- set off at a brisk pace, presumably too get a forensics kit.

Gibbs stood up and rubbed his brow wearily.

'If you don't want too come with us, then where're you going to go then.' He asked me calmly.

That threw me; I hadn't really any idea of what too do now that I was out.

It seemed as if nowhere was truly safe.

I didn't answer.

The woman spoke, she had a musical, foreign accent that I didn't recognise.

'You've got nowhere to go do you?' She asked with a touch of smugness.

'Well, ahh…' I broke off hopelessly and made a helpless gesture.

I sighed heavily.

'Ok, you've got me, I don't have anywhere to go, I'll go with you, on the condition that there's lots of pizza, a hot drink, a place too sleep and oh, I don't know, a guarantee that you won't give me over to Area 51 or something.' I started off in a resigned tone and added the last bit with a note in my voice even I couldn't identify.

'And why would we want to give you over too Area 51?' Asked Gibbs casually.

Oh snap; I just gave the whole game away!

I sighed again.

'You have no idea what you lot are getting yourselves in for.' I stated resignedly.

'We know your secret,' said Gibbs calm as ever.

'You mean,' I asked hesitantly, maybe I wasn't as sunk as I thought.

'About being used as a drug mule?' I mentally congratulated myself.

'No.' Said Gibbs calmly, it was really starting too get under my skin, I was tempted too set his trench coat on fire.

'I meant about the fact you have wings. You're a mutant.' He said it so flatly and calmly, it was as if he knew the whole deal.

'Bullshit.' I shot back, managing too laugh despite the fact I knew I was sunk.

'I've got photographic evidence that says otherwise,' stated Gibbs calmly but with a smug edge to his voice.

He flashed a digital photo that I could make out clear as day despite the dock's bad lighting.

Sure enough, it was a picture of me wearing a hospital gown, glancing over my shoulder in surprise, but most damningly of all, _it showed my wings._ All sixteen feet of feather, flesh, bone and beauty of them.

I sighed heavily again.

At that moment, DiNnozzo rocked up with a forensics kit and began passing out latex gloves.

'Ziva, you mind taking this young lady off too the side and keeping an eye on her?' Asked Gibbs calmly, but I caught the subliminal message: _Don't let her get away._

I walked over too the side of the warehouse, leaned against it's corrugated iron wall and slid to the ground with my head in my hands.

'What the hell did I do to deserve all this?' I asked of no-one and nothing in particular.

An ambulance type vehicle pulled up in the middle of the wharf with it's lights flashing just outside the yellow tape.

An older man and a tall, skinny guy, with curly black hair and glasses, got out of the truck and walked up too Gibbs.

The older man took one look at the two creeps who'd tried too kill me and said:

'Good God Jethro, that was a bit much wasn't it?'

Gibbs just smiled and chuckled a bit.

'Um… Ziva…?' I asked hesitantly.

'Yes?' She asked, looking at me with a bit of concern.

'Who are those two?' I asked a little apprehensively.

'The older man with the bow-tie is Dr Mallard, our medical examiner, and the young man in the glasses is Jimmy Palmer his assistant.' Said Ziva calmly and casually. A look of concern crossed her face as I paled slightly at learning that the two new comers were doctors.

Really bad memories, trust me you don't wanna know.

'Are you all right?' She asked with a palpable edge of concern.

I nodded.

'Yeah, I've just had really bad experiences with doctors and science in general, so I'm not too fond of anything lab or science related.' I knew she was partially digging for information, but, I figured she had better know, in case Gibbs wanted too send me back with Dr. Mallard and his assistant, if she knew, she might put in a word; Or not, slim chances and all that.

'Define 'bad'.' She said curiously.

I shot her a sad look.

'As in, for the past fifteen years, I've lived in a cage, half starved, and have only been outside said cage, to undergo inhuman, sadistic and depraved experimentation.' I said blandly and seriously.

She looked a little taken aback, but didn't pursue the subject.

After about a half hour of silence, the guy called McGee came over.

'Special Agent Gibbs would like a word.' He said it in a tone that suggested he had more he wanted too add or was fighting extremely hard not too ask something that I might find rude.

Either that or he was desperately trying not too pee himself.

The question got the better of him as I got up and started towards Gibbs.

'Hey, uh, I hope you don't mind me asking, but do you really have _wings?_' McGee asked with the air of a man who'd just been too the toilet after hanging on all day.

'If you want too see 'em, you're going to be waiting a long time.' I said with a note that broached no protest, and continued towards Gibbs.

McGee just stood there with his jaw hanging loosely. Finally a synapse connected and he regained control of his mouth.

'I so wish I had wings.' He said in an envious undertone too Ziva.

Ziva looked at him seriously.

'I don't think it is all flying aimlessly, having fun and being free, as you think; She has obviously been through a lot, more than even a victim of abuse can claim.' Said Ziva hesitantly, yet in a level voice; Not an easy trick too pull off.

'How do you know that?' Asked McGee.

'She was visibly frightened when she learned Ducky and Palmer were doctors, and said something about having bad experiences with science in general.' Ziva explained shortly.

'I can't even imagine what she might've been through.' She finished in a quiet tone.

'She seems pretty composed too me.' Said McGee in a questioning tone, as he watched the exchange between Gibbs and the girl.

DiNnozzo walked up.

'She could give Gibbs a run for his money in terms of stubbornness.' Said DiNnozzo in an almost impressed voice.

'Why? What's going on?' Asked McGee.

'Gibbs is trying too convince, our little angel too go back too the Navy Yard with Ducky and Palmer;' Said DiNnozzo quietly so his voice wouldn't carry, 'but she's refusing point blank, like trying too drag a cat into a bath, she will not do it.' DiNnozzo shook his head as he finished.

McGee chuckled.

'She hasn't got a clue what she's in for.' Said McGee equally as quietly.

As I approached Gibbs, Dr. Mallard stood up and came over.

I quelled an involuntary shudder with difficulty, and tried not too fall apart from all the awful memories that swam through my mind:

_An operating table with wrist and ankle restraints, under a fluorescent light, agonising pain, mind-numbing fear, being force fed drug laced food and water, innumerable injections and a deep-rooted sense of foreboding, throughout it all._

I savagely beat back the horrors of my past and concentrated firmly on the present.

Gibbs looked at me stonily.

'I'd like you too meet Dr. Mallard, our medical examiner.' Said Gibbs indicating the man who stepped forward and held out his hand.

'Hi,' I said trying valiantly too keep a quaver from my voice, 'I can't say it's a pleasure too meet you Dr, but…yeah' I trailed off, and this time the slightest tinge of anxiety got through despite my best efforts.

Dr. Mallard gave me an odd look and looked a little taken aback, but he still pressed on with the pleasantries.

'Please, just call me Ducky, everyone else does,' he said, his British accent giving extra warmness too his tone, it was genuinely friendly, I probably would've liked him if it wasn't for past experiences.

I could feel his mind was swirling with curiosity, excitement with a touch of uncertainty and confusion, but he kept his questions too himself.

It was the first time a scientist of any variety had actually shown any thought for the fact I had feelings as well, I was warming too him the more I considered the fact.

Gibbs spoke again.

'It's a little too cramped for you too come back too the Navy Yard with us, so would you mind going back with Ducky and Palmer?' He asked kindly but his tone brooked no protest.

So, naturally, I protested.

'Ah-he-he, you sure I can't just go with you and someone else go in the van? I'm… not fond of doctors at all, and well…' I trailed off and tried too calm down before I gave myself a heart-attack from stress.

'No, I want you too go with Ducky, besides he won't bite.' Said Gibbs reassuringly.

I realised then, he just didn't _get_ what I'd been through, he wasn't doing this out of cruelty, he genuinely had no clue as too how badly I was scared of anything medical or science related.

I told him so, grudgingly, another piece of info he could use.

'You could've just said so.' Said Gibbs squatting down too my level and taking my hand in his.

'You might find this hard too believe, but we genuinely want too help you, and we can't do that if you don't help us.' He looked me straight in the eyes when he said it, and the strength of his sincerity was quite overpowering.

He was perhaps the one and only person on the planet who'd ever been completely honest with me.

I took a very deep breath and let it out slowly.

'Ok' I said in a very quiet voice, that I was horrified too here not only sounded scared but full blown quivering with fear; 'Ok, I'll tell you what I know, but not here, and right after I've had a decent meal.'

Gibbs smiled.

'That can be arranged, however, Director Vance will want too meet you too.

If it hadn't been for the fact that I'd heard mention of Vance before, I probably would've shot straight into the air and winged it too New York or some place a long way away.

Directors were the people who held the lives of us mutants in their hands, and weren't afraid too end them at the drop of a hat.

'Just, one word of advice,' I said as he stood up.

'What's that?' He asked.

'Order double what you'd usually get food wise, I eat a lot.'

**Phew… that was hard. Next chapter I'll try too put Itex in the crosshairs.**

**Question: Should I have an Eraser team try and take Alexa from the Navy Yard or just Frank?**

**One last thing: Review please! I'm going too write this no matter what, but its great too know someone's taken the trouble too read it. Next chapter should be up soon, can't say how soon though.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four

Questions and Answers Between Floors.

**You know how it works: I don't own MR, NCIS or Scarecrow, but I do own any OC's that appear in this story.**

**Chapter soundtrack: See the Light (Greenday)**

In the end I did ride in the truck, but I insisted on riding up front, so I didn't have too deal with the two dead bodies and the antiseptic.

Ducky introduced me too Palmer, who also, seemed too know my secret but again,-with some effort- refrained from asking awkward questions.

When we stopped at a set of traffic lights I sensed Ducky was going to talk too me so I mentally braced myself.

'Do you have a name, my dear?' He asked kindly.

I looked at him and gave him a sad smile.

'Not 'officially', back before I…ran away…The people who… made me what I am had a name for me, but that became bunk when I…ran away.' I blushed embarrassed and lapsed into silence.

After a moment I realised Ducky was still looking at me so I looked back.

'You're a terrible liar, you know.' He said matter-of-factly.

'What do you call yourself then?' He asked again.

I sighed.

'Shortly after I ran away, I named myself. It's Alexa, Alexa Angelos.' I said.

I said it quickly so I wouldn't clam up and start brooding, if I did that I'd think about what I'd been through.

In that direction, madness waited patiently.

We sat in an uncomfortable silence until the next set of traffic lights at which point Ducky spoke again this time taking my hand in a comforting way, so I braced myself again.

Every time today someone had taken my hand, it meant they wanted me to do something that constituted torture, to me at least.

'Alexa, I'm afraid we're going too have too do a physical examination, just too make sure that you haven't broken any bones or anything,' Ducky said in a reasonable voice.

My jaw clenched and I looked directly out the window, with such intensity I could've literally lit a candle at ten paces, if there'd been one there.

'I'm not going too.' I said shortly.

Ducky opened his mouth too speak but I silenced him with a look.

'I'm not going too, because a physical examination involves stripping to your underwear, and I don't have any.' I explained truthfully and quietly.

'Oh…' Said Ducky a look of understanding dawning on him.

The bespectacled guy, Palmer, was staring fixedly ahead and pretending the embarrassing exchange wasn't taking place.

I was grateful for their tact; The 'coats at the hole I used too…-damn 'lived' is too luxurious word…so is 'survived'…'existed' is probably the best term for it- existed at would've probably forcibly stripped me and then just proceeded.

They'd done it before, the humiliation was probably one of the worst parts of the place.

I blushed furiously again and continued my examination of the road.

We finally reached the Navy Yard, but before, I could go over too Gibbs who was waiting by the elevator for me, Ducky pulled me up.

'Just out of curiosity my dear, what do you have against science and medicine?' He asked.

I gave him a long and steady look.

'Fifteen years worth of: Torment, pain, fear, humiliation, deprivation, abuse and the deaths of many of my friends, I spent most of that time locked in an effing _cage_, half starved! I've only been truly free for the past eight hours. If you can't figure out what I've got against science and medicine from _that_ then you weren't paying attention.' I said it seriously and flatly but I couldn't help a slight sneer entering my voice. I didn't very much care.

Leaving Ducky standing there with an expression of mixed emotion I went over too Gibbs.

'This'd better be some damn good pizza,' I said sulkily.

He grinned slightly and submitted too the elevator's retina scanner.

'Their was no need too shout ya know,' he said quietly.

I blinked, I had know idea I'd shouted.

When we entered the elevator, I couldn't help but feel the slightest bit uneasy, I had no idea why.

Gibbs hit a button when the doors closed and the elevator began too rise.

After a second Gibbs leaned forward and flipped a switch, which caused the elevator too stop suddenly and the lights to go down.

Reacting on instinct, I hurled myself into a corner and conjured fireballs around my hands.

Gibbs stared.

It was the first time I'd seen him surprised by something.

'How are you doing that?' He asked in an incredulous tone.

'I have no idea why I can do this, but I can, its mentally draining, but it certainly gives people pause for thought if I threaten them with it.' I said in a hard voice. 'Now why did you stop the elevator!' I demanded.

Gibbs just stood there and looked at the girl crouched in the corner with her hands wreathed in fire.

_She's hysterical._ Thought Gibbs,_ She puts on the tough act too hide how scared she really is._

'Why did you stop the elevator!' She demanded again in a panicky voice, she was breathing very fast.

Gibbs sat in the opposite corner and put his hands in his lap.

'Too get some answers.' He answered calmly.

Meanwhile, DiNozzo, Ziva and McGee were in the evidence garage with Ducky.

They saw Gibbs and the girl enter the elevator.

'Should we call paramedics?' Asked DiNozzo in a concerned voice.

'No need,' answered Ziva calmly, 'if they fight, it will be too the death.'

McGee was carrying a stack of pizzas.

'I hope they can sort it out, otherwise we'll never get through this amount of pizza, I don't believe that girl could get through even half of this!' Said McGee in an exasperated tone.

'Just don't drop any Probie-wan Kenobi.' Said DiNozzo jokingly skipping up the stairs.

'And don't eat any either.' Added Ziva sharply and followed DiNnozzo.

McGee sighed and carefully followed them.

'What are you so scared of?' Asked Gibbs quietly from his corner.

'Being locked in a cage again,' I said in a small voice.

He looked at me for along moment as if taking it in.

'I forgot too ask before, what's your name?'

'It's Alexa Angelos.' I answered a little more strongly.

'Alexa-Angelos?' Asked Gibbs in a querying tone.

I smiled slightly.

'No hyphen, Jethro,' I said taking a chance too try and put him off guard.

'You can speak freely here, Alexa, no cameras no microphones, anything you don't want filmed or heard, this is the place for it. That's why I stopped the elevator.' Said Gibbs not in the slightest bit wrong footed by first name terms.

I sighed wearily.

'Who locked you in a cage?' Asked Gibbs quietly.

I took a deep breath and tried too get a grip.

Slowly a savage pleasure gripped me, time for a bit of pay back.

'I was created as part of an experiment,' I began slowly, 'I have got no idea as too the experiment's actual aim, aside from creating more adaptable human\animal life-forms.

'They were creating mutants?' Asked Gibbs for clarification.

I nodded, 'Yeah that's one way of putting it. Anyway, the company that did this too me is called Itexicon, or Itex for short.' I paused and took a deep breath, 'Most of their experiments were complete failures, however, the two most successful experiments, are human\avian recombinants and human\wolf recombinants, the latter being referred too, informally as 'Erasers,' they can turn themselves at will into part human part wolves.

They're used by Itex as an all-purpose army: Guard duty, Policing everyone, hunting down anyone who might be a threat too their experiments, executing troublesome mutants or researchers.' I paused a second and beat back the emotion from the personal aspect too come.

'I am one of the former category, a human\avian recombinant, Informally known as 'bird-kids', we're the most successful of Itex's numerous experiments, due too the fact we don't die after six years.'

'With me so far?' I asked, Gibbs nodded so I continued.

'The Erasers are used as muscle, because they're strong, mature quickly, and are bloodthirsty, us bird kids are mainly put in cages and experimented on and kept in line with threats of even more grotesque experiments than we already undergo, I guess I got too much of a handful, so, a lab director, rubber-stamped my death warrant and sent a pair of Erasers too take me, kill me and quietly make sure no-one ever found my body.' I swallowed and took another breath.

'How'd you escape?' Asked Gibbs calmly. I took a quick peak at his mind and got a hazy memory:

'_How do you want to do this?' Asked a woman as she and Gibbs walked into a building's lobby._

'_You serve the warrant, and I'll shove my SIG in their face, that's how!' Said Gibbs in a level voice, but you could tell he was _really_ pissed off._

I smiled slyly.

'Mike and Frank weren't the sharpest tools in the shed. They took me too that forest, and started frog marching me. So when they were distracted chatting over a baseball game, I set Frank's coat on fire, and hit Mike, then made a break for it, and hid in a tree, which I accidentally fell out of when they caught up, I managed to hide again, but then, that marine, caught up and Mike and Frank ambushed him. He killed Mike, but he went down under, Mike and Frank's combined fire. I think he might've wounded Frank, 'cause he didn't stick around after he made sure the marine was dead.'

'And that's how it happened?' Asked Gibbs calmly.

I nodded mutely.

'Why'd you run?' Asked Gibbs.

'I thought you might've been trouble.' I answered, it was the truth, but I have no real idea as to _why _I'd felt they were trouble.

'Any other powers I should know about?' He asked calmly.

I grinned crookedly.

'Yeah, I'm stronger than a grown man, but I've got too keep some aces up my sleeve, so you'll just have too live in ignorance.' I said in a teasing tone.

He gave me a penetrating stare.

I fidgeted slightly.

'And I can read minds….' I said at last.

Gibbs blinked in surprise.

'What am I thinking then?' Challenged Gibbs calmly.

I shrugged.

'No idea, for some reason, I can only get really broad stuff from you, or a hazy impression.' I told him casually.

'Can we go get that pizza now? I'm starving.' I asked trying not too whine.

Gibbs relented, we both stood, and he turned the elevator back on.

'Just one more question, said Gibbs as the elevator began too ascend once more, 'Do you really have-'

'Wings? Yeah,' I Interrupted him self-consciously, and shuffled my wings a little in discomfort.

When the elevator opened, Ziva McGee and DiNnozzo glanced over, and looked at the girl,-Alexa, Ducky had said her name was.

'Pay up Tony, Ziva,' said McGee firmly, 'they're both in one piece.'

Ziva handed McGee a ten dollar note without complaint, and Tony a little grudgingly.

As Alexa stole Gibbs' seat, Gibbs slapped McGee across the back of the head, then gave Alexa a level look, without a word, Alexa abdicated the seat.

'What was that for?' Asked McGee in an exasperated tone.

'Making money off an unfair bet.' replied Gibbs as he sat down, 'I always come to an agreement with people, no-one has ever died from an elevator meeting.' Explained Gibbs.

McGee handed back the money with an annoyed expression on his face.

'Where can I sit? Asked Alexa glancing around.

'Here,' said Ziva powering down her computer and proffering her seat.

'Thanks,' said Alexa and grabbed one of the pizza boxes and made herself comfortable at Ziva's desk.

Everyone applied themselves to there meals for a while, then Gibbs' phone rang.

'Yeah, Gibbs,' he answered calmly.

'Gibbs this is Vance, I'd like a word with you, your team and the girl.' Said Vance with a note in his voice.

'How do you know about that? We only got her an hour ago.' Replied Gibbs.

'I do leave my office occasionally, Gibbs,' chuckled Vance.

'Alright.' Said Gibbs and hung up.

'The director wants to see us.' Said Gibbs to the room at large, getting out of his seat.

Ziva, Tony and McGee, all followed suit.

I stayed seated unconcerned, and focused on devouring my pizza before it got cold.

'You too,' said Gibbs as he walked past me.

With a mental sigh I picked up my pizza and shoved the remains of my sixth slice in my mouth.

I followed Gibbs and his team up two flights of stairs and through a door off to the right of the stairs.

A secretary picked up a phone, presumably to alert the director to the fact he had visitors, but before she could even take a breath, Gibbs opened the door and we all strode in.

'You know Gibbs, you really should wait too be announced.' Said Vance slightly irritated.

I glanced around the room and noticed a table in front of a wall mounted TV in at the table sat a pale man, with a shaved head and a sprinkling of stubble.

'What is the spawn of the CIA doing here?' Asked Tony too the room in a tone of undisguised dislike; I sensed it had something to do with a car…

'I was about to ask the same question DiNnozzo.' Said Gibbs as he eyed the man at the table, who stood up.

'Hello Gibbs,' said the man. He had a British accent, but unlike Ducky's, it made the man's words seem threatening.

This was a dangerous man.

'Hello Kort,' said Gibbs in a neutral tone, 'what are you doing here, I thought you transferred too Los Angeles?'

'Special Agent G. Callen is as much a pain in the arse as you are.' Replied Kort icily.

'Coming from him, that's a compliment,' whispered Tony in my ear.

I smiled slightly and disguised it by starting on my last piece of pizza.

'I'm here for the girl.' Said Kort in the threatening tone I guessed was the norm for him.

'Well, _the girl_, is staying here.' I said firmly, not even trying to disguise my instant dislike of him.

Oddly, this didn't go over too well.

**That's chapter four, I AM ON A ROLL! Two Chapters in two days!**

**I'll get on five right away.**

**I'm going too enjoy this…**

**A bird kid hanging it on Kort. (Evil Laughter), this'll be fun.**

**One last thing: REVIEW LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT.**

**Bye!**


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

More Introductions, And How to Piss Off The CIA

**Disclaimer: I don't own Maximum Ride, NCIS or Scarecrow.**

**Now, time too set up the other bits of this and start to pull it all together…**

**Chapter soundtrack: Evil Walks (AC\DC)**

While Alexa was waging the verbal equivalent of World War III with Trent Kort, in a safe house about four kilometres from the Navy Yard, a tall dark haired boy of roughly fourteen, was sitting on the safe house's roof with a laptop.

He was checking his e-mail, most of it was fan mail about what a hero he was for exposing Itex, mixed in with the occasional soppy admission of love from a hormonal _Twilight_ fan-girl, and the very occasional offer of aid.

The boy sighed, and eased his midnight black wings out a bit.

He continued too scroll, then came across something interesting.

An e-mail with: '_We might've found another bird-kid!', _in it's subject line.

The boy stopped dead when he saw it and immediately opened it.

It read:

_Dear Fang_

_I'm a forensic scientist at NCIS, please don't hold that against me, I'm not a sadist like the bad-guys you've been running from._

_I'm currently working on a case that involves a bird-kid like you._

_Special Agent Gibbs just left to try and track her down._

_Just thought you might want to come and get her before things get messy._

_Abby out __J._

Fang cocked his head and re-read the message twice.

Quickly, he closed the laptop and climbed back through the open window he'd used too access the roof and quietly closed it so as not too wake Iggy or the Gasman who were both sound asleep.

Fang silently opened the door too the room quietly and equally as quietly opened the opposite door and crossed too where a brown haired girl of roughly his own age was asleep.

Quietly he woke her.

Maximum Ride's eyes shot open and she jerked awake.

'Shh!' Said Fang.

Max gave him a look that could've lit a candle at ten paces if she'd had the power to summon and control fire.

'What?' She mouthed silently, but still managing too convey considerable annoyance.

Fang showed her the message.

'You're not serious.' She said quietly, although she did pull on her boots and put on a hoodie.

'Deadly.' Replied Fang

'You aren't going anywhere without me,' said a sweet little girl's voice from across the room.

Seven year old Angel was sitting up and had a stubborn look on her face.

'Crap.' Breathed Max.

'What's going on?' asked a sleepy voice from the doorway.

It was Iggy, tall pale, with strawberry blond hair and blind, he was quite possibly the most remarkable of the Flock, by the fact his handy-cap didn't even slow him down.

He was accompanied by Angel's brother, the Gasman.

'Going somewhere?' Asked the Gasman in a tired voice.

'What's this all about?' Asked Nudge quietly, waking up and heaving herself out of bed.

Fang sighed and showed them the e-mail.

'Looks like we're headed too the Navy Yard.' Said Max as the others stared incredulously at the computer screen.

'Kort, if you want to turn this into an inter-agency pissing match, that can be arranged!' Snapped Gibbs at the CIA agent.

'This operation, is even more important than Operation Lodestone, and I won't have you jeopardise it over whatever minor incident has finally got you crossing swords with Itexicon.' Replied Kort in a quiet and venomous voice.

'What do you mean by 'operation'?' I asked suspiciously.

'That's classified, and has nothing too do with you.' Replied Kort arrogantly.

I glared at him with such intensity his jacket began too smoke.

'Look, chrome-dome,' I said scathingly as I stood up and looked him straight in the eye, you've got about as much say in what I do as the next CIA wanker, which is to all intents and purposes: none, so you can take your 'operation,' and forcibly insert it up your arse!' I kept control of my temper-barely- while I said it, and then we just stared at each other venomously until at last, Kort's jacket did what it'd been threatening to do for the past fifteen minutes, and burst into flames.

I found this highly amusing, everyone else jumped about a foot in the air and Kort swore harshly.

'Language, Kort,' said Vance calmly, as Kort stamped out the flames, but I could tell he was amused by what had happened, I got the feeling he'd been briefed by Kort as too what I could do.

Now how did he get that information?

'Director Vance, I have orders from my director, that any and all mutants with a link too Itexicon, are too be taken too CIA headquarters.' Said Kort, clearly confidant that he'd get his own way.

'I'm not getting involved in this 'inter-agency pissing match', said Vance calmly, 'besides, as I recall, you've been giving that other group of bird-kids a lot of leeway in this, I don't see why you're so eager too get your hands on this one, when you've been letting the six Jeb Batchelder sprung five years ago, who you've known the locations of for the whole of that time, run rampant.' Said Director Vance leaning back in his chair.

Kort glared around the room.

'Unless I miss my guess, Kort,' I said smugly, 'that translates roughly too: 'Get the hell out of the building, and don't come back.'

Kort glared daggers at me.

I glared right back, and set his shirt sleeve on fire.

He swore loudly again and slapped it out, then stormed out.

I was reeling internally though.

_Other Bird-kids? I wasn't alone? _Batchelder_, the lying sack of shit that always claimed to be 'helping' us mutants, had broken them out of a lab?_ These and other thoughts were swirling through my head.

'We haven't been properly introduced, young lady,' said Vance casually as he leaned forward onto his desk a couple of minutes after we saw Kort leave the building.

'I'm Leon Vance, the director of NCIS.' He said, extending a hand.

I took it and shook.

'Alexa Angelos' I replied a little awkwardly.

Vance smiled.

'Looks like I'm going too have the CIA bitching about this, but I must say, it's a pleasure to meet you.' Said Vance in a friendly tone.

I blushed embarrassed.

'I know it's a little presumptuous, and you've refused all requests so far, but too make sure you are who you say you are-'

'You want too see my wings.' I finished calmly.

'That's right.' Confirmed Vance, going over too stand by Gibbs and the others.

'Alright,' I said resignedly. As I was about too extend my wings a slightly short girl in her late twenties, with black pony-tails, a spider-web tattoo on her neck, and a padlocked chain necklace came bursting in.

Most frightening of all, _she was in a white coat!_

'GibbsGibbsGibbsGibbs!' She said excitedly, making me wonder how many cups of coffee she'd had recently.

'Your not going to believe this, but I was just running the radio logs from the training camp and-'

'The CIA made it priority one for Gunnery Sergeant McGuire too follow those two dirt bags,' said Gibbs calmly over the girl, 'we know Abbs, Trent Kort was just here, and he just left with a fire damaged shirt.'

'Trent Kort!' Said the girl in shock, 'What was that creep doing here?'

'He came too try and take custody of our key witness.' Said Gibbs calmly, indicating me.

The girl spun around.

'Oh, hi,' said the girl excitedly, 'I'm Abby Sciuto, forensics specialist, what's your name?'

She was about shoulder height to me, and unlike the whitecoats I'd come across, her mind was buzzing with youthful enthusiasm and she liked everyone.

'I'm Alexa Angelos,' I answered, it was getting really old introducing myself over and over.

Unexpectedly, Abby stepped forward and hugged me, which I can compare, with complete truthfulness too an arachnophobe, being hugged by the giant spider out of _Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets_.

I hugged back weakly, doing my quashing my instant '_immolate her, she's a whitecoat!'_ reaction.

Looks like I'd have to get used too whitecoats and labs, although I hadn't been into a lab yet today.

'Might as well get Ducky as well,' I said resignedly, 'he'll probably want to see this.'

When Ducky arrived, he went to stand with everyone else, and they all looked at me expectantly.

Before I lost my nerve I extended my wings slowly, so as not too knock anything over, I managed too fully extend my wings with about a foot too spare on either side, testament too how big Vance's office was.

DiNnozzo sat up straight and stared, Ziva muttered something in a language I didn't know, McGee muttered 'My God' and his mouth fell open, Ducky looked awestruck, Abby was bouncing on the balls of her feet and looked about ready too explode with questions, while Director Vance and Gibbs just looked on impassively; Although it was a safe bet they were astonished as well.

As for the six kids watching outside the window…

**This seems like a good place too end the chapter.**

**HAH! First cliffhangar!**

**Two chapters in one day!**

**Today must be a good'n!**

**Well, you know the drill: Review and please keep reading, cause if someone's reading it, that's incentive for me to write, particularly if you're enjoying the story.**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Plots Made Elsewhere

**Disclaimer: See previous five chapters.**

**Any and ****ALL**** OC's in this story are my own creations, any resemblance too other OC's or actual persons, excluding well known and or famous persons are entirely coincidental.**

**Chapter soundtrack: The Razor's Edge (AC\DC)**

After Kort put a few kilometres between him and the Navy Yard, he pulled out his cell-phone and made a call.

Meanwhile, in a laboratory break room, Frank was nursing a steaming hot cup of strong black coffee.

He'd discovered, quite by accident, that caffeine, and coffee in particular expanded an Eraser's lifespan if drunk indefinitely. He'd discovered this near the time he was supposed too expire.

He'd taken a liking too coffee and begun drinking it nearly too excess.

The result: he was still alive twenty-one years later, and not a death-day tattoo in sight.

Itex, had naturally done tests too try and replicate the result.

They were still trying.

A door opened and he glanced up.

In walked Director Anne Walker.

She sat down opposite Frank.

'We've got some good news Frank,' she said in an almost relieved tone, 'We've found your escaped prisoner.'

Frank looked Walker in the eye, if truth be told he liked the woman, and she in turn had a certain fondness for Frank.

'Where is she?' Asked Frank calmly.

Any other Eraser would've been on their feet pacing, but another property of caffeine on Erasers, so Frank had found, was that it acted as a relaxant, and helped him control his impulsive streak.

'The Navy Yard, under NCIS protection.' Said Walker in a business tone. 'You know what to do.'

'This'll be tricky.' Said Frank.

'You've got a squadron of upgraded Flyboys.' Replied Walker.

Frank knocked back the rest of his coffee and looked back at Walker.

'Dead or Alive?' He asked.

'The girl is a nuisance, but she might be a way too deal with a couple of _other_, even more annoying ones, so alive, please, and in one piece.' Answered Walker firmly.

Frank shoulders slumped slightly.

Anne Walker grinned wickedly.

'That's not to say, that you can't knock her around a bit.' She added with a ice cold hint of malice.

Franks shoulders straightened as he exited the room.

It was payback time.

The phone buzzed three times.

On the fourth, a tall, tan skinned, dark brown haired individual answered it.

'G'day Judge, what's up?' Asked the youth with an unmistakeable Australian accent.

'Fallen, the meeting was a bust, you'll have to collect the package.' Said Judge in a neutral tone.

'Where is it?' Asked Fallen in a calm tone.

'The Navy Yard, most likely Abby's laboratory.' Answered Judge.

'We don't do labs Judge, you know that.' Replied Fallen with an edge to his voice.

'Do it, you'll like the package Fallen, she's just as 'independent' as you.

Fallen whistled impressed.

'What'd she do?' Asked Fallen.

'Made it clear she didn't like me.' Answered Judge cryptically.

'Right Thanks, 'bye.' Said Fallen and closed his fist on the conversation.

Kort put away his mobile, and smiled smugly, the job was as good as done.

Max and the Flock made good time too the Navy Yard and by-passed security by flying over it.

Max looked inquiringly at Angel.

'_over there, in that room,'_ said Angel telepathically to the group, pointing out a room that had it's lights on.

Silently, the group landed on the ledge, and surreptitiously began too eavesdrop.

'…He'll want too see this.' Said a girl standing in the middle of the room.

A few moments later there was an palpable feeling of shock, as the girl extended her sixteen foot wingspan.

All of a sudden Angel stiffened in alarm.

Vance's phone rang, breaking the spell of awe, that my wings had induced.

Vance quietly ducked under my wings, as if he'd done it a million times before and answered his phone as I carefully, folded my wings, although this time, I didn't tuck them in as tight, I just kept 'em at ease.

My _God that was better._

_The one thing with holding wings in tight, is they get incredibly stiff and sore after about two hours._

'_Hello, this is Vance,' said Vance as he answered his phone._

_He listened for a moment._

'_Thank you for that Kort, goodbye.' Said Vance and hung up._

'_What was that all about?' I asked in confusion._

'_Kort saw something as he was leaving,' said Vance calmly, 'he says he saw six kids listening outside the window.' Vance grinned, 'looks like someone tipped off the Flock.' Said Vance with the same grin._

'_Ok, not too be rude,' I said with a slight amount of irritation, 'but who the hell are 'The Flock' you keep mentioning?' I asked with more than a bit of annoyance at Vance's vagueness._

_Vance crossed too his window and called Gibbs over._

_Together, they opened the window suddenly and suddenly hauled in a pair of scruffy looking kids, about my age._

_Another four suddenly jumped through the window in alarm._

_I recoiled mentally at the strength of their sudden hostility._

_DiNnozzo, Ziva and McGee automatically covered them with their side-arms._

_How they drew so fast, I'll never know._

_Suddenly the window was yanked open two different hands reached out and grabbed Max and Fang, who were then yanked into the room._

_Iggy, Nudge, the Gasman and Angel piled in an instant later, only too stop dead when two men and a woman trained semi-automatic pistols on them._

'_What the hell was that for? Asked the brown haired girl in anger._

'_Alexa, I'd like too introduce the biggest pain in international big business's collective backside,' said Vance as if he was still at his desk and not restraining an angry bird-kid, 'this is Maximum Ride, and her 'Flock'._


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Questions and Answers.

**Disclaimer: For best summary of my disclaimer see previous chapter.**

**I don't own the song lyrics in this chapter either, they belong too **_**Dragonforce**_** from the song **_**Soldiers of the Wasteland.**_** I don't own the song or **_**Dragonforce**_** either.**

**Chapter soundtrack: New Divide**

Roughly half an hour later, using methods ranging from negotiation, to offers of pizza,

Vance and Gibbs convinced Maximum too stick around and answer some questions.

So now, Ziva, Vance, DiNnozzo and McGee, were sandwiched inside a small observation booth between two interrogation rooms.

'God, this is reminding me more and more of X-men,' said DiNnozzo, 'like, we find one mutant dead at a crime-scene, another on the run at the docks, who we bring in, then six more eavesdropping on a meeting between the spawn of the CIA and us.'

Ziva slapped DiNnozzo over the back of the head.

'Will you be quiet I'm trying too listen!' She said in a quiet but clearly very annoyed voice.

Meanwhile, I was standing in the right hand corner of the room closest too the two way mirror, out of the cameras line of site.

Gibbs was at a table with his back too the window\mirror, and Max sat opposite glaring at him, not an easy trick, when you're trying too eat a slice of pizza at the same time.

The rest of the Flock were being entertained by Abby in her lab, except for a black clad boy, who was in the second interrogation room.

'Anything else I can get you?' Gibbs asked Max kindly.

'You could just let us be on our merry way,' said Max after she swallowed her slice of pizza.

'Can't do that I'm afraid,' replied Gibbs sitting straighter in his chair.

'Why?' Asked Max, I could tell, that although she never got her own way with adults, she still was used to going ahead with her own plans regardless.

'You broke into a federal facility, that's a serious offence young lady,' said Gibbs in a calm but stern tone.

'So, what were you doing here in the first place?' Asked Gibbs in that same tone.

I could feel the thoughts buzzing through Max's mind, but there was something funny about it, like there was another room in a building, only no door or way of accessing it, and it had a one way, bullet-proof window into the first room.

Suddenly I heard something coming from that portion of her mind.

_**You can trust him Max, he is one of the ones who can help you save the world.**_

I got a sigh through my telepathy.

'_Voice, long time, no irritation, been bugging someone else lately?'_ Asked Max mentally of the strange message.

No reply.

'_God damn Voice…'_ thought Max, but I felt she decided too tell Gibbs the truth.

At least part of it, and rather evasively.

'No idea,' she shrugged, 'ask Fang, he knows,' she elaborated when Gibbs opened his mouth too speak.

Gibbs cast a glance at me.

'_I'll be back,' _he thought loudly and clearly at me, _'play nice, don't kill each other.'_

Those were the first clear thoughts I'd got from him.

I guess 'cause he wanted me too here them.

He got up and left, closing the door behind him.

Max sighed and reached for another slice of pizza.

That's when the penny dropped.

_They'd given her my pizza!_

This was not going to end well.

As if she sensed this she glanced up at me.

'One last piece,' she said apologetically.

I sighed and massaged one of my temples.

This _definitely _wasn't going to end well.

'Well,' I said in a slightly nervous\casual tone; adults, I could deal with, mutants I knew, I could deal with, someone my own age with a similar personality too me, I.e. fiercely independent: Total train wreck.

'I don't know about you, but I haven't had very much too eat recently, and that is the last slice of one of _my _pizzas,' I said reasonably.

'Who are you anyway?' Asked Maximum, withdrawing her hand for a moment as I paced, and reached the other mirror-side corner.

I paused for a moment.

'A mutant, like you I guess,' I said with a non-committal shrug.

'How did you wind up here?' Asked Maximum curiously.

'I'm still trying too figure that one out myself,' I said evasively.

'Well, did you kill someone, run into 'em by accident or what?' Asked Max.

Damn her, asking for specifics.

'I escaped from a pair of Erasers, with orders to kill me, and make sure no-one ever found my body,' I said wearily, 'they ran into a marine, they had a shoot out, NCIS got called, I spent a couple of hours hiding too lose the surviving Eraser, and got seen when I made my exit.'

Max looked at me even more curiously.

I couldn't help but notice she was making a move on the pizza.

I was at the corner behind her, opposite the mirror and door.

'Then what?' She asked, looking at me as her hand quested for the final piece of pizza.

'I flew too DC, stole some clothes, decided too lay low at the docks, got jumped by a pair of junkies, beat them up, ran into these guys, ran from them, ran back into the junkies, these guys caught up, nailed the junkies, and two hours later, I'm here eating pizza, and you just ate most of one that was supposed to be mine.' I said firmly, hoping she'd take the hint.

'Well, it's my compensation now,' she said smugly and turned back too see why her questing hand hadn't found it yet.

Using my telekinesis, which had been holding the pizza, in the air, I drifted it over her head and caught it neatly.

She whipped around in suspicion just as I took a firm bite.

I grinned around the pizza with satisfaction and winked slyly.

'How did you…?' She trailed off as she tried to figure it out.

In the booth, Vance, DiNnozzo, Ziva and McGee looked at each other.

'Did she just-?' Asked McGee in shock.

'Yeah.' Answered DiNnozzo before McGee finished, equally stunned.

Ziva laughed a little. 'She must have other powers she 'neglected' too mention as well.'

'This won't be pretty.' Predicted Vance quietly.

They were interrupted when another door in another adjacent room opened and closed.

They all turned too see Gibbs enter a room with a dark haired boy seated at the table.

'I'm going to go see how Abby's holding up.' Said McGee and walked out.

'I'll go too,' said Ziva and followed McGee.

DiNnozzo and Vance turned and watched as Gibbs began what could've been equivelated too trying too interrogate a fence post.

'Why did you break into the Navy Yard?' Gibbs asked Fang quietly.

Silence was all the answer he got.

'Who e-mailed you?' Asked Gibbs, taking a chance.

Fang blinked in surprise, 'Some forensic scientist e-mailed me through my blog, saying you might've found someone else like us, and that it might be an idea too come and get her before things went down hill.' He answered.

'Abby.' Said Gibbs, just for confirmation.

Fang nodded imperceptibly.

Gibbs saw it and rose, indicating for Fang to do so as well.

Meanwhile, in the other interrogation room I'd solved the pizza problem by finishing it off.

'You can't complain any more.' I said brightly.

'Who are you?' Max asked again.

'Alexa Angelos.' I answered succinctly.

Max stood.

'I'm Max, Maximum Ride,' she said standing and offering a hand.

I took it, prepared for trouble.

Surprisingly, none was forthcoming.

'Where'd you come from?' She asked again in a curious tone.

I shrugged. 'Some hellhole around the warehouse district I think.' I replied.

'What about you?' I asked equally as curious.

'A hellhole known as 'The School,' in California,' Max made air quotes with her fingers.

I felt a chill crawl down my spine.

The School was a death sentence; It had the highest mortality rate of all the Itex laboratories.

The most horrific experiments, the most psychotic Erasers, the toughest security.

'Holy fuck.' I swore quietly.

'That about sums it up.' Agreed Max.

My respect for her bumped up a notch.

The door opened and Gibbs walked in followed by a boy dressed in black, with black hair and eyes of such a deep blue they were practically black.

'Come on, we're going down too Abby's lab.' Said Gibbs calmly.

'Damn.' I muttered quietly.

We walked out of the interrogation room.

DiNnozzo and Vance exited the observation booth.

'Looks like I was wrong,' muttered Vance quietly, slipping DiNnozzo a ten-dollar bill.

'How did you do that?' Asked DiNnozzo quietly as we followed Gibbs, and surreptitiously pocketing the money.

'Concentrated, wiggled my toes and prayed.' I responded sarcastically.

Max laughed quietly, the black clad boy quirked a wry grin.

We descended a set of stairs and entered a maelstrom of notes from an electric guitar.

I'd heard something like this before.

Metal; Not my favourite type of music, but somehow, it related too my life experiences.

'Just out of curiosity, how do you know how too socialise and things, if you only escaped that lab yesterday?' asked Max.

I flashed her a small grin.

'I can read minds, and, I can open and close locks using my telekinesis.' I replied.

DiNnozzo stopped dead.

'You can read minds?' He asked sharply in a tone I'd keyed into that meant he was asking if you knew a dirty little secret of his.

And there were mountains of them.

'Yeah,' I answered casually.

'Are you reading my mind right now?' He asked.

'No.' I said, he looked relieved.

'I quit after my second piece of pizza, you nearly put me off eating.' I explained slyly.

Tony blushed embarrassed, Gibbs slapped him across the back of the head, and took a swig of coffee.

'What was that for?' Asked DiNnozzo in askance.

'Nearly putting Alexa off eating, god knows she needs too.' Said Gibbs in a mildly annoyed tone, but there was a hint of amusement in it.

Whether it was the money changing hands or really was my jest, I couldn't tell, but I had been telling the truth; DiNnozzo's bedroom life was part, sewerage plant, part Toxic waste dump: Revolting but fascinating in some undefinable way.

Max quit trying too contain her laughter and the black clad guy's shoulders were shaking with silent laughter and he had his hand over his mouth.

Max looked at him with a sort of distant misty eyed look.

Looks like the Black Knight was Max's boyfriend.

Ah well.

Max looked at me again.

'How does being able to open locks help?' She asked confused.

'I used too break out of my crate, and use a whitecoat's work account too surf the 'net in the dead of night.' I explained.

Max's face cleared and she nodded.

We entered Abby's lab and I looked around.

It wasn't what I'd expected.

A few pieces of modern art here and there, a few figurines on the computer mainframe, a novelty stuffed hippo, Techno and Metal playing over a stereo system.

It was millennia ahead of Itex labs in friendliness to visitors, and personality.

My respect for Abby increased considerably.

Abby was working on the computer mainframe on something.

Ranged around the room were the rest of the Flock.

Abby was talking in the unbridled and tangent ridden way a person who's had _way _too much coffee does, too a coffee skinned girl of about eleven, who was listening, Abby paused for a second and the girl replied, with as many tangents, and equal enthusiasm.

Apparently the lab-coat wasn't a put-off for her.

A pale, strawberry blonde guy was surreptitiously stowing something that looked suspiciously like a stick-bomb out of sight.

I felt a presence in my head and looked in it's direction.

A young girl of about six-ish, with blonde hair and blue eyes.

She was pretty dang cute, would've melted my heart if she wasn't trying to read my mind.

'_Nice try,' _I said mentally, and mentally recited a couple of lines from a song I'd listened too on the 'net during one of my midnight trawls out of curiosity:

_Can't you see the history,_

_the suffocating madness,_

_in the land of fallen souls,_

_there's nowhere left, no place to go;_

_I have travelled far and wide across this wasteland,_

_Still searching for the answers,_

_for the right to understand…_

The girls probe wavered and I jabbed out with my own probe just so she got the message.

She withdrew and shot me a reproachful look. She wouldn't be trying _that_ again in a hurry.

'Abby,' Said Gibbs quietly and sternly.

Abby turned around slowly, and guiltily.

'Yeah…?' She asked hesitantly.

'Did you send this guy an e-mail pertaining to the case?' Asked Gibbs still in that stern tone indicating the black clad kid.

'Yes.' Said Abby and hung her head.

'Thanks for nothing.' Muttered Black Clad darkly.

'Actually,' said Gibbs, 'we could use the extra help.' Said Gibbs.

There was silence.

'Say what?' I asked in confusion.

Gibbs took a swig of coffee.

'Only one way we're going too catch the other bastard who killed Gunnery sergeant McGuire, is if we use Alexa as bait, too draw him out. And he's sure too bring back up.' Said Gibbs.

'What have you got cooked up?' Asked Vance.

'An ambush.' Said Gibbs wickedly.

The plan was simple.

As the whole Flock, myself and Itex's activities were highly classified, we'd have too capture the other Eraser and quietly imprison him.

Then I'd have too make a fast exit before the CIA came after me, all guns blazing.

So, I'd pretend to be asleep on the roll out bed in Abby's lab, Ziva and McGee would hide in Abby's office, adjacent too the lab, Max and her Flock would hide on the roof too tie up reinforcements, and Gibbs would provide covering fire from a park with a view of Abby's window, accompanied by DiNnozzo, as security.

Vance, would try and tie up the CIA in a meeting over M-TAC and delay their 'extraction team'.

Abby and Ducky would also go, for safety reasons.

'One question, how are you going to provide cover fire from a park roughly a kilometre away?' I asked Gibbs.

'I used to be a sniper in the marine corp., I've still got a sniper rifle, which I picked up after we got the pizza.' Explained Gibbs calmly

I nodded, satisfied, an ex-sniper, this was going to be a spectacle.

'Why do you want our help?' Asked Max suspiciously.

'Because, you have experience fighting these bastards.' Said Gibbs succinctly.

'Okay, but do we get weapons, like say, a tank?' Asked a blond haired blue eyed boy, who I guessed was the brother of the mind-reading six year old.

'No.' Said Gibbs, Max, Ziva, McGee, Vance and Black Clad simultaneously.

'We don't have any.' Explained Gibbs.

I smirked at the hidden joke.

The boy's shoulders sank slightly.

'I'm all for it, Gibbs,' I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

'I'll do it on two conditions,' I continued.

'And they are?' Asked Gibbs facing me and taking a swig of coffee.

'Firstly, I want a flak jacket,' I said firmly.

'Done. I was going to make you wear one anyway,' Said Gibbs.

'Secondly, I want a gun, just in case.' I said equally as firmly.

'No.' Answered Gibbs.

'I _can _shoot believe it or not.' I replied calmly.

'How did you learn?' Asked Max suspiciously. I didn't blame her for being suspicious.

'The 'coats wanted too see how good a shot I was, what with having, _literally_, eagle-eyes; so, they put me in a target range, hooked me up too a heap of machines, including an electric circuit, in case I decided too try something, gave me a pistol, and said 'fire away.'

'How did you do?' Asked Ziva with interest.

'I aced it, I imagined each of the targets was one of the 'coats heads.' I replied slyly.

'You must have hated them.' Stated Ziva not in the least bit fazed by my deep seated hatred of those who'd turned me into what I was.

Gibbs looked me directly in the eyes again, giving me the chills, his gaze wasn't just hypnotic, it was _piercing_, like he could kill you with a glance.

'You're going to have to prove to _me, _you can shoot before I even let you near a gun.' Said Gibbs in a half-resigned, but still rock-solid calm voice.

I held his glance.

'Thanks, I'm not going to shoot anyone or thing I'm not supposed to, ya know.' I said reassuringly.

'let's go too the armoury then,' said Gibbs taking another sip of coffee, walking out of the lab, and motioning for us too follow.

The tall strawberry blond guy and the mind reader's brother approached Max and asked:

'Max, seeing as she,' they indicated me, 'gets a gun can we-' They didn't finish because Max, Black Clad, Gibbs, McGee and Vance all said 'No.' In a very firm, loud, and exasperated tone simultaneously.

The pair sank in too a sulky silence and we headed too the armoury.

**Sorry this took so long to post, my internet was down.**

**I don't apologise for the length, I figured this'd be the best place for a little character elaboration regarding Alexa.**

**Now, review please, I've got a three way punch-up too write, and a kidnap. (Or two! I haven't figured that out yet.)**

**Hopefully, I can bring the Scarecrow into this soon.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**Gearing up.**

**Disclaimer: You know the drill, I don't own: Scarecrow, NCIS, MR.**

**I'm not doing this for profit, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is purely coincidental excepting well known or famous persons.**

**I own all original characters in this story, and all fictional war-gear, excluding bolt-pistols, which are the property of Games Workshop, nor do I own Games Workshop or 40k.**

***Phew* That's quite a mouthful.**

**To all reviewers, I'll answer all reviews via the private message thingy.**

**Chapter soundtrack: Guns for Hire (AC\DC)**

After he hung up, Fallen, otherwise known as Jeffrey Erasmus, walked across the concrete floor of his concealed headquarters,- a converted warehouse in a deserted part of the industrial section of Washington DC- and turned on a stereo, blasting the speakers full bore.

Then, Jeffrey hit 'play' and unleashed a solid wall of Metal music.

Instantly, everyone asleep in the warehouse was up, cursing, swearing, complaining, rubbing themselves, where they'd landed heavily, when they'd jumped in shock at the sudden activation of the stereo.

Jeffrey hit stop.

Everyone was up, except for Raven.

She slept on peacefully oblivious too the commotion.

Jeffrey walked over and parted her jet-black hair from around her ear.

Earplugs.

Jeffrey grinned despite himself.

Only Raven, would have the foolhardiness too where earplugs to sleep.

Jeffrey hooked a hand under Raven's mattress and overturned it.

She was awake in an instant.

'What the-' She hissed quietly, then picked herself up and looked around, popping the earplugs out as she did so.

Jeffrey pointed too where everyone else was waiting.

Wordlessly, Raven went and sat in a La-Z-Boy, as Jeffrey walked over and stood in front of everyone.

'This had better be really frickin' good, Jeffrey.' Stated Conrad Crow, a solidly built bird-kid from a lab in the Australian Alps, he had a light tan, and a weather beaten look, owing to the fact he'd been hiding in the mountains for roughly six months after his 'Great Escape', prior too his recruitment by the CIA.

'Judge wants us too retrieve a package from NCIS.' Said Jeffrey calmly.

'In addition to our escort duty?' Asked a olive skinned girl, with wine-red hair, and intense , dark green eyes, with a tangible British accent.

'That's right Hawkeye.' Confirmed Jeffrey succinctly.

'So who's doing what?' Asked a tall, pale, blond haired, and blue eyed bird-kid, in a light Russian accent.

'I'm heading up the retrieval, mission, Hawkeye, seeing as your specialty is sniper cover, you get the escort job.' Said Jeffrey succinctly.

'Good enough for you Wolf?' Asked Jeffrey of the blonde haired kid reprovingly.

Wolf nodded his agreement.

'Ok, so Raven, Wolf, you guys are with Hawkeye,' said Jeffrey clearly, so no-one would misunderstand.

'Conrad, Techs, you're with me.'

Techs, otherwise known as Techno, was a thirteen year old girl, with brown hair, brown eyes, pale skin and a carefree attitude, she was a career tinkerer.

Techno had been taken by the CIA, from a lab in France, after she dismantled several security cameras and combat 'bots in an unsuccessful attempt at building a laser gun.

The resultant device had blown up, when an Eraser had tried, most unwisely, to fire it.

Needless to say, Techno had been slated for termination.

When she was due for termination, Trent Kort, accompanied by a squad of Delta Commandos, had floored the execution squad and saved Techno at the last possible moment.

That had been three years previously.

'What do we do for equipment?' Asked Techno eagerly.

'We're going to the armoury now kiddo.' Said Jeffrey, ruffling the girl's hair as he walked past.

Wordlessly everyone followed.

'Okay, let's see these 'ace' shooting skills Alexa.' Said Gibbs in a mildly reproving tone.

He handed me a matte black pistol.

I faced the target range, slotted a clip of bullets into the magazine, flicked the safety off and waited.

'Go.' Said Gibbs calmly.

The target started moving towards me, and I pumped the trigger.

When the clip clicked empty, I dropped it from the magazine and rammed in a fresh one, then resumed firing.

I'd loaded in a third clip by the time Gibbs shouted 'Stop!'

I unloaded the gun and flicked the safety back on, before handing it back too Gibbs.

Then I surveyed my handy work.

There were two tight clusters, one in the middle of the target's head, and another directly over it's heart.

'I think it's safe to assume, that this man is dead.' Said Ziva in a neutral tone, but you didn't need too be a mind reader to see she was impressed.

_What Mossad could do with one like her…_ thought Ziva, impressed.

Unfortunately for her, I heard.

'Mossad can keep dreaming, Ziva.' I said in my best nonchalant refusal.

I had the satisfaction of seeing her blink in surprise.

'I guess you missed the memo,' said Gibbs in a voice I guess he used to get under people's skin, 'Alexa can read minds.'

'Uh..!' Hissed Ziva and smacked herself across the forehead sharply.

'Nice shooting.' Said Gibbs un-distracted by Ziva's reaction too my telepathic ability.

I could also sense how impressed DiNnozzo. McGee, Max and the rest of the flock were.

'You must've _really _hated the whitecoats at that lab.' Said Max offhandedly.

I nodded imperceptibly. Only, Gibbs or another bird-kid could've caught it.

Gibbs, because he was just scary that way, and us bird-kids because of the whole, raptor vision thing.

'Just outta interest,' said Gibbs 'who are these 'whitecoats' you keep mentioning?' He asked curiously.

'They're the sadistic, bastard, mad\evil scientists who made us like this.' I answered succinctly and descriptively.

A rather tricky manoeuvre to pull off.

Gibbs nodded in understanding.

'If you can give me names, and addresses, I can park their arses on a one-way ticket too Gitmo.' Said Gibbs in a dangerous tone of voice

All of us,- The flock and myself,- perked up at this.

'Well…,' I considered for a second, 'so long as they're unable to walk before they get on the plane…' I said in that hypothetical trail off voice that always accompanies great sounding, but wishful ideas.

'Can't sign off on that I'm afraid,' chuckled Vance as he walked in and observed the target I'd minced.

'Too much paperwork; Good god, Gibbs, are you _sure_ we should give her a gun?' Asked Vance as he examined the two clusters.

'I'm pretty sure she's not going to shoot someone or thing she doesn't mean too.' Said Gibbs taking a sip of coffee.

Max and Black Clad, who told me his name was Fang when I'd asked him, also took the test.

Turns out I was a slightly better shot than both Max and Fang.

Which was fine with Max because she had a 'no-gun policy'.

Fang however, insisted on an M16.

Max glared scathingly at him.

I expected to see Fang's jacket catch fire like Kort's had, but it didn't.

Thus armed, we headed out.

Ziva, McGee and myself headed too Abby's lab.

DiNnozzo, Gibbs and the Flock headed outside.

+'Good hunting Gibbs.'+ I said over the radio.

+'Thanks for that, Alexa,'+ replied Gibbs in a calm, clinical tone. Guess he had his game-face on, or at least, he now had a _reason_ to _have_ his game-face on.

Max had grudgingly accepted a headset.

+'Good luck to you too,'+ Said Max over the radio.

+'While we've got a minute, what sought of retrieval team, are these bastards liable to send after us?'+ Gibbs asked Max.

Max sighed over the headset.

+'If Itex is still using Erasers,'+ said Max wearily, +'they could send Erasers, but I think that this guy might just be an exception too the rule, all the Erasers got wiped out a couple of months ago,- when Itex made a bid for world-domination,- and replaced with a robotic version of Erasers called Flyboys, they're stronger and less impulsive, than Erasers, but they're less flexible, and can't think on their feet, they also have a weak point: land a blow where their tail-bone would be, and they literally snap in half; so my guess is they'll send this Eraser and Flyboys, how many, I've got no clue.'+ Max sounded a little thrown, guess her information was shaky.

+'Can you back that up Alexa?'+ Asked Gibbs.

+'That sounds about right to me,'+ I said uncomfortably.

In all truth, Itex's bid for world-domination, was the reason I hated Itex so badly.

My closest friend, a bird-kid who'd been in the cage next too me, had been taken by Flyboys, when that screwed-up affair started.

I knew he was dead, because, if he'd lived, he'd have escaped, had he have done that, he'd promised he'd break me free. It still hurt like a taser shot thinking about it.

'Can we take my latest project out for a field test?' Asked Techs excitedly.

'Which one?' Breathed Wolf too Conrad, who cracked a grin.

'You mean the one, you've been locking us out of the armoury so you can keep it secret?' Asked Jeffrey coolly.

'Yeah, that's the one!' Exclaimed Techno excitedly, completely missing Jeffrey's reproachful sarcasm.

She hefted a stainless steel briefcase onto a workbench and popped the lock.

Everyone leaned in and looked curiously.

'You locked us out of the armoury,' said Conrad in annoyed confusion, 'so you could make six, full scale, model bolt-pistols?' He asked incredulously.

After Jeffrey had worn out his first pair of shoes pacing the warehouse in boredom, after his combat training and education, Trent had introduced him too Games Workshop's miniature war-game, Warhammer 40,000; Eventually out of sheer boredom, Wolf, Conrad, Hawkeye, Raven and even Techno,- who took it up for something else to do,- had taken too army building, painting and gaming.

Techno shot him a disdainful look.

'No, you feather-head,' said Techno calmly, 'these are actual, working guns.'

She took one of the bulky weapons walked too a target range loaded a clip and fired at a target's head.

There was a bang like a cannon going off, and the target's wooden head exploded.

Conrad stared stupidly. So did everyone else.

'I call it the Techno .50 calibre Hand Cannon.' She said proudly. 'Mk 1' She added as an after thought.

'Too long,' objected Wolf, ' how about the T-50HC? He asked.

'No, that doesn't do it justice,' said Raven thoughtfully, she snapped her fingers, 'I got it, how about the Oblivion Pistol?' She asked.

'Sounds good too me.' Agreed Conrad.

'Certainly _sounds_ intimidating,' admitted Hawkeye.

'But what about-?' Asked Wolf mournfully.

'We aren't in Communist Russia, Wolf,' said Raven wearily, 'We aren't going for the AK-47 here.'

Raven and Wolf shared something of a rivalry, Wolf firmly believed that all the tales about The School were a load of bullshit, and that the worst lab to be raised in, was the central Siberian one where he'd escaped from during Itex's purge.

'Colder than hell, and the torment was like all the demons had had a really bad day, and were looking too take it out on just you.' He claimed, though when asked too elaborate, his eyes flashed gold, his jaw tightened and he spat to the side, saying: 'You know nothing of hell.' and stalking off too brood for a couple of hours.

Raven was of the opinion that Wolf was full of himself.

She'd been raised at The School, and had been subjected too all it's horrors, she'd escaped, when a certain Jab Batchelder had broken the Flock out the first time, during all the confusion.

So naturally, she wanted nothing more than too thank Batchelder, despite, everyone else's fervent desire to blow his testicles off with the biggest gun they could lay hands on.

All their death-warrants had been rubber-stamped by Batchelder.

Jeffrey actually had a P100 'Metal-storm' assault rifle, solely for that purpose, but it saw a fair bit of use on other black ops the CIA deemed too sensitive for anyone else.

'Okay,' said Jeffrey, 'we can take the Oblivion pistols for a spin, however,' He paused too add weight too what he said next, 'my team, are taking dart clips, along with standard pistols, this is a retrieval, not a turkey shoot.

'Do we take our signature weapons?' Asked Conrad, with crossed arms.

'Might as well, but don't draw swords unless we come across unexpected trouble, like say, Erasers, or Flyboys.'

Conrad rolled his eyes disdainfully. 'Whatever,' he said quietly, and selected a nine-gauge shotgun, and loaded it with deer-slugs.

Jeffrey selected his Metalstorm rifle.

Hawkeye hefted a .50 calibre sniper rifle.

Wolf selected a pair of M9 pistols.

Raven slung her customised M16 across her shoulders, along with a scope, it had an under-slung grenade launcher, which fired another one of Techno's inventions: grenades, that could pierce armour, bullet-proof glass, and most other forms of protection, then detonated, sending fragments into equipment or crew, Techno dubbed them Anti-Vehicle High-Explosive Fragmentation Grenades, or AVHEFGs, but everyone else called them 'Gremlins', after the creatures often blamed for equipment or vehicle malfunctions.

This particular rifle also had a dart feature, but on this particular mission, it would hold 'Stingers' or 'taser-darts': Standard darts with an electrically charged point, armour piercing, they could penetrate Kevlar, lodge into or even touch, their victim, and deliver a taser-like shock.

Techno selected her pride and joy: A modified Desert Eagle pistol, that not only fired standard slugs, sedative darts and Stingers, but also fired a _laser._

It's workings involved a dot sight, a special focusing chamber, and four, expensive, custom-made, diamond lenses, but the resultant laser 'pulse' had an effective range of up to five hundred metres, was extremely accurate, and could punch through a tank's ablative armour at ranges less than fifty metres, it also had the added bonus of shorting out electrical systems.

'Are you ever going to get around too making us some of them?' Wolf asked Techno enviously, as Techno hefted the weapon from it's velvet lined case.

'Eventually,' said Techno distractedly and without conviction.

'It'll be a cold day in hell when that happens.' Conrad breathed too Wolf, who smiled, revealing prominent canines, hence his name 'Wolf'.

When the six had pulled on their Ultralite Titanium alloy armour,-a bullet-proof weave of titanium wire carbon-fibre cloth, and Kevlar,- they pulled on their full face helmets and buckled on their _other_ signature weapons: longswords, straight out of _The_ _Lord of the Rings._

Hand-and-a-half, rubber-cored hilts, straight edged, titanium blades, and capable of shearing through body armour like a hot knife through butter.

Very little lasted long in the face of a close-quarter engagement with Jeffrey and his cohorts.

'Raptors,' said Jeffrey loudly, using the groups operational nickname, and pulling down his tinted full-face visor, 'lets fly.'

They all crowed, sounding like a flock of eagles hunting.

Show time.

Frank was feeling cheerful.

He had ten full wings of Flyboys, modified to be more flexible and damage resistant, as well as being individually controlled, so no more flying straight at an obstacle and dodging at the last second too crash them, or diving into the sea, to short them out.

And the weak point had been reinforced, since these Flyboys could now bend at the waist, no more snapping in half from blows to the tail-bone area, they were still flammable, and sure, if you hit 'em hard enough they lost limbs, but they were still clinically efficient and mercilessly pursued their missions.

Frank hefted his automatic pistol, it's weight felt good in his hand.

+'Wings six-through-to-ten, break off and go after the primary objective,'+ said Frank with clinical coldness.

Acknowledgement lights flicked on his wrist computer, and five Flyboy wings dropped away towards the White House.

+'Wings one-through-five, with me, chopper, drop us at the Navy Yard, then proceed too pick up the primary objective, I'll radio when I have the secondary.'+ He ordered.

Storming a naval base and going after (classified) Medal of Honour recipients.

Tonight was going to be _memorable._

**I'm really sorry I haven't posted in the last week, internets been down, hope the three chapters make up for it.**

**Now, review please.**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Overwhelming Assault

**Disclaimer: See Chapter Eight.**

**And now: this is where Captain Shane M. Schofield, 'Scarecrow,' comes into the picture.**

**Chapter Soundtrack: War Machine (AC\DC)**

If anyone had have been watching the alley, as the presidential Limousine, escorted by two police cars and four motorcycles, drove down the street, they would've seen a teenager, in a black trenchcoat, leaning against the wall, wearing a scarf, a woollen cap, and oddly, as it was night-time, a pair of sunglasses.

He was listening too Greenday's '_Murder City_' from '_21st__ Century Breakdown._'

He had his hands in his pockets and watched as the motorcade drove by.

As the motorbike police-women nearest him rode past, she lifted a pinky too the youth, and if you were paying close attention, you might've seen a tiny green flame.

All clear for now.

Wolf adjusted his cap and walked down the alley.

Raven held formation with the police officers.

On a rooftop further down the street, Hawkeye saw Wolf walk off to the next position.

A mechanical thrum interrupted her as she adjusted her rifle.

Hawkeye glanced over her shoulder, and was confronted by a sky-full of Flyboys.

'Contacts!' Yelled Hawkeye into her microphone, 'We've got fifty-plus Flyboys closing in, and I hear a chopper nearby!' She reported as she shot a Flyboy at the weak point and blew it in half.

A helicopter roared into the street and clinically dealt with the lead car, with a non-guided missile, and dispatched the rear car in the same way, but didn't fire on the Limousine.

It's cargo was far too precious.

The police officers dismounted and covered the car.

Then the Flyboys dropped out of the sky like unholy angels of destruction.

A Flyboy ripped open the door of the Limousine and received fire from a Desert Eagle too the torso, dropping it.

Shane 'Scarecrow' Schofield, Libby 'Fox' Gant, Jean 'Mother' Newman, Buck 'Book 2' Riley Jr. and Kevin were talking idly before the chopper entered the street and stopped the convoy.

Everyone but Kevin drew a nickel plated Desert Eagle, when the door was wrenched open, Schofield fired, dropping the man who'd opened the door.

As everyone piled out, they were set upon by more assailants.

Mother landed a solid punch into one of the men's stomach.

'Fuck!' She swore as there was the sickening sound of flesh striking metal.

Book landed a blistering upper-cut too his opponent's jaw.

'Son of a-' He swore in shock as his foe's head came off, then another one of the things hit him across the head and he was out cold.

Mother savagely kicked another one of the _things_ in the tail-bone with her titanium prosthetic, snapping him clean in half.

'Geez!' She said and tackled another one of the things too the ground as a sniper opened fire, beheading another one of the things in a gout of-

'This is _grease_!' Shouted Libby Gant as she wiped the thick black substance off her face.

Schofield shot one of the things in the shoulder, blowing it's arm off.

'They're God-damn robots!' Shouted Schofield in shock, as Gant took a hard punch to the head, knocking her out cold.

One of the robots grabbed Kevin, only to be nailed in the head by the sniper.

Mother was being beaten down by shear weight of numbers, and Schofield was hard pressed dealing with the seemingly endless sea of robots as well as protecting Kevin, even with the uncanny skills of the mystery sniper.

Eventually, a robot landed a hard blow too Mothers stomach, knocking her out cold, and Schofield was on his own, a full thirty seconds later, a Flyboy hit him across the back of the head leaving him unconscious.

It then grabbed Kevin and the whole armada shot skywards, the destruction they'd wrought, the bodies of the police officers, and the shells of the fallen Flyboys, the only signs they'd been there.

Raven hurled herself clear of the motorcade as the helicopter destroyed the first car.

She pulled out her M16 and started dropping Flyboys.

Wolf heard Hawkeye's call and instantly threw off his disguise, and drew his M9s, then charged into the street, and was instantly set upon by several of the robots.

Wolf put a kick under the first 'bots jaw, snapping it's head off, a bullet through the second ones chest, earning himself a face-full of grease, the third one took a thunderous blow too it's shoulders with the butts of the pistols, and Wolf leapt clean over the last one, and put a back kick into it's weak section, only to be taken by surprise when it punched him in the back of the head.

Hawkeye shot it's head off when Wolf hit the pavement.

'These bastards have had an upgrade!' Bellowed Wolf, putting a round through a Flyboy as he tried too reach the Limousine.

Several moments of frantic shooting later, Raven shouldered her gun and drew her sword.

Then all the Flyboys just shot into the sky, and flew away.

Raven blinked in surprise, then dashed over to the Limo and was met by Wolf.

'He's not here, Raven, this is serious, Itex has Kevin; they have the cure for the Sinovirus!' Said Wolf, urgently, as Hawkeye flew down.

'We're dead, if Jeffrey doesn't kill us, Kort or someone else from the CIA will!' Hissed Hawkeye as she folded her rust-red wings.

Raven pulled out a cell-phone and dialled 911.

'Hello?' Asked Raven in her best impression of a shocked witness.

'I have too reach NCIS, this is urgent, there's been a gun fight near the Whitehouse!' Twittered Raven in a voice a couple of octaves higher than usual.

Hawkeye fervently hoped it was just acting.

If Raven was genuinely scared, then things were really bad.

'Where are you?' Asked the operator calmly.

'I'm not sure exactly,' said Raven, even though she knew perfectly well.

'Just…Just tell them to look for the massive smoke-cloud near the Whitehouse.' Said Raven in her frightened voice, then she hung up.

Frank got the call just as he was about to plant the breaching charge on the fence.

'Pull-out, or you'll get left.' Ordered Director Walker sternly.

'We have the primary target, repeat, we have the primary target.' She said.

Frank angrily turned heel and headed back the way he'd come. He hadn't even set foot in the Navy Yard yet!

Jeffrey, Conrad and Techno landed silently on the roof of the building across from the forensics lab.

Jeffrey switched too thermal and gave a silent thumbs up.

The package was there.

'Contact.' I said as the three figures walked into view.

One of the figures attached something too the glass, then they all stepped to the side.

Next instant there was a loud detonation, followed by three light _thuds _as the intruders entered.

They walked over to me and I sat up suddenly and trained my gun on the guy I assumed was the leader.

'Freeze, you bastard.' I said in my best ice-cold tone, as Abby's office opened and Ziva and McGee entered, guns up on the other two.

The leader levelled a pistol at me.

'Sniper on the hill.' I said quickly, 'if you pull that trigger, you lose your head.' I added smugly.

The pistol clattered too the floor, and Max and the Flock jumped through the window.

Ziva McGee and myself cuffed the three intruders, and we quickly took them too the interrogation rooms where we disarmed them.

'Not as many as you thought they'd send.' Commented Gibbs as we piled their equipment up, and prepared too confiscate there armour.

'These must be something new then.' Said Max with weary certainty.

I pulled the helmet off the shortest of the three.

A girl, with brown hair, brown eyes and an absolutely blank expression.

The second figure was a boy with a weather-beaten and well tanned face, like he spent a lot of time outdoors, dark-blonde hair, and green eyes glaring venomously at the third.

When I unmasked my third would-be kidnapper I audibly gasped and tripped over my own feet in shock.

'Hello Wendy.' Said Gregor casually as if we were on the street, and had bumped into each other by chance.

I punched him on the nose.

'That name is dead Gregor,' I said in quiet fury, 'and you lost all right too call me friend when you didn't come back.'

'I wish I could've.' He whispered sadly, and a single tear trickled down his cheek.

'You know this guy?' Asked Gibbs incredulously.

I nodded mutely.

'We were best friends, I thought he was dead.'

I was horrified that I could feel hot tears welling in my eyes.

Ziva helped me up.

'This is awkward.' Said Tony into McGee's ear.

The girl and the weather beaten kid shot looks at each other.

Trembling badly, I slumped into a seat and, despite my best efforts, burst into tears.

**Bet you weren't expecting that!**

**Review, please.**

**Thank you.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Interrogation and a New Case

**Disclaimer: See chapter eight.**

**At home sick right now, so I've got writing time on my hands.**

**Also, this story **_**might**_** expand and encompass Warhammer 40k, NCIS Los Angeles and\or Artemis Fowl, but don't get your hopes up.**

**Chapter Soundtrack: Two Weeks (All That Remains)**

Jeffrey sat in the Interrogation room, with his hands behind his head.

He felt certain that the grey-haired special agent was letting him stew before trying to get some answers from him.

Tentatively, he reached out with his mind, searching for the gruff friendliness of Conrad's mind, or the exuberant curiosity of Techs.

Instead, he found an angry and hurt Wendy, who immediately launched a stinging psychic blow at his mind.

Jeffrey winced and quickly withdrew.

Perhaps he should've told Kort what he could kiss, when he'd forbidden him from trying to rescue her.

Then, she'd been his best friend.

Now, she hated him, with a passion.

He sighed wearily, and rested his head in his hands.

'How did it come too this?' He asked quietly of himself.

I stood in the observation booth and just stared at Gregor.

I'd thought he was dead!

And now, here he was, working for Itex, to take me back too that hellhole!

What could've happened too turn him? He'd hated Itex as much as I did; how could he agree too work for them?

These and other thoughts swirled through my head as I felt Gregor reach out with his mind.

Our minds met, and I sent him packing, focusing on my rage and hurt, two emotions that didn't feel at all pleasant too a mind-reader, I thrust my mind at him aggressively and had the satisfaction of seeing him wince.

Gibbs entered and just looked at me with- I couldn't tell, was it sympathy, or confusion, or something else entirely?

'You sure you don't want too go up and talk too the others?' He asked in concern.

The Flock, Gibb's team, Ducky and Abby were all in the squad-room, all sharing a fresh round of pizzas, that DiNnozzo had been kind enough to go and bye another round of pizza, although granted, this round was about eight times larger than the last one, and had required about five minutes of unpacking.

'No, I want to hear what he has too say.' I said firmly.

'Also, seeing's as this entire investigation is classified, I can think of a few ways to get him too talk, that can be kept off the books.' I said cryptically.

'No torture, Alexa.' Said Gibbs firmly.

'Whoever said anything about torture?' I said innocently, as I followed him out.

As we walked into the interrogation room, Gregor glanced up, stood and opened his mouth to speak.

'Sit.' Said Gibbs calmly.

Gregor tried again.

'Sit,' said Gibbs again as I went and stood in the corner and he sat opposite where Gregor was standing.

Grudgingly Gregor sat back down.

'This doesn't seem to be your day, _Gregor,_' said Gibbs casually, injecting a disbelieving tone into 'Gregor'.

Gregor just sat there and said nothing.

He shot a pleading look at me over Gibbs's shoulder.

I pretended to examine the ceiling.

Gregor sighed heavily and went back to holding his head in his hands.

Gibbs just stared at Gregor.

'Anything you want to tell me, Gregor?' Asked Gibbs again stonily.

Gregor sat up straight and fiercely met Gibbs' gaze.

'The name 'Gregor' died when Itex tried too kill me.' He stated icily.

'And yet,' said Gibbs, shifting in his seat, 'you came to kidnap Alexa,' Gibbs gestured to me, 'on their orders.' He finished in a smooth calm tone, I wasn't the one receiving it, but it certainly made my blood-pressure rise a bit.

Gregor, or whatever he was calling himself these days sat bolt upright and a look of pure outrage crossed his face.

'I don't work for Itex!' He shouted, jumping to his feet.

'It was the CIA who-' He broke off as he realised what he'd just said.

'The CIA did _what?_' I asked in polite confusion.

'Come on Gregor, whatever it is, you can tell us.' Said Gibbs, calm as ever, but it had an encouraging note to it.

'My name isn't Gregor, at least, not anymore,' he said wearily as he sat down heavily.

Then what are you calling yourself these days?' I asked casually, 'eh, _Gregor?_' I injected my best irritating tone into the last bit.

Gregor regarded me balefully.

'Its Jeffrey Erasmus now, _Wendy._' He said with a palpable note of snideness in my old name.

'Well what does the CIA have to do with this, Jeffrey?' Asked Gibbs before I could react.

Jeffrey looked down and clammed up.

'Trent Kort sent you didn't he?' I said suddenly, in a moment of realisation.

'Trent _who?'_ Asked Jeffrey in confusion.

'Don't play dumb with me Gregor.' I said, doing my utmost to wind him up.

Gibbs pulled out a photo showing Kort's face.

'Recognise him?' Asked Gibbs.

Jeffrey shook his head, but I could tell, without even having a peek at his thoughts, that he was lying.

Apparently, Gibbs could tell as well.

'Why don't you start at the beginning, and tell us about this, 'operation,' that Kort mentioned?' Suggested Gibbs.

Jeffrey remained silent.

'You must owe Kort something considerable, if you're trying to protect him.' Said Gibbs quietly.

'Maybe I'll go talk to your friends, in the other room, and see what they have to say about this.' Said Gibbs standing up and walking to the door.

'Wait!' Said Jeffrey in defeat.

Gibbs sat back down.

'Way back in the mid '90s,' began Jeffrey, 'A lab tech at Itex, got pulled from the project that created us.' Jeffrey paused for breath.

'Bird-kids and Erasers, right?' Asked Gibbs.

Jeffrey nodded silent confirmation.

'She was the surrogate mother of Maximum Ride, who I believe I saw jump through the window after Wendy, sprung that trap.'-He indicated me, and I gave him a look that began to make his shirt smoke.

'Like you Jeffrey, I've denounced the name the whitecoats gave me.' I said loftily.

'Well, do me a favour, and tell me what it is!' He growled quietly, like we were back in the lab, sharing info, to try and think up an escape plan.

'Alexa Angelos, is my name, since mid-yesterday.' I answered calmly.

Jeffrey went to continue, but Gibbs held up a hand.

'Will you too stop bickering, I've got a funny feeling that Kort is the one responsible for this, so quit trying to bite each other's heads off.' He said in obvious irritation.

He gave us both a look that DiNnozzo called the 'Gibbs stare,' we both fell silent, verbal barbs dying on our lips.

'Continue,' said Gibbs, back to being calm and indicating Jeffrey.

+'Yes Jeffrey, please continue.'+ Said Vance from the observation booth.

'That'll save you saying everything twice,' I said brightly.

Jeffrey gave me a long look, then continued as if there'd been no interruption.

'Ride's mother was kicked off, to eliminate any feelings of pity for her, seeings as the whole thing was an experiment.' Jeffrey paused again.

'From what Kort told me, Ride's mum was really upset and pissed off at this, and went too him, because they were old friends.'

'Hell hath no fury, like a woman scorned,' observed Gibbs calmly.

Jeffrey shrugged.

'Something like that, anyway, she told Kort everything, Kort took her to meet the director of the CIA, and the director made her a deal: she was to turn one of Itex's scientists on the project, and if any of us bird-kids were to be terminated, this turncoat,'-I laughed at the irony of the term,- 'was to tip off Kort, or another CIA agent, and the CIA would send an extraction team too rescue said bird-kid, and provide medical treatment, shelter, education, etc., the rub was, the CIA had an ulterior motive,' Jeffrey paused to catch his breath.

'They trained you as a special operations force.' Stated Gibbs, sitting up straighter, his eyes narrowing.

Jeffrey and me looked at each other, we could both feel Gibb's anger.

'Yep,' said Jeffrey, 'Martial arts, sword-craft, marksmanship, survival-skills, heavy-weapons, driving, demolitions, the only thing they didn't teach was sex-ed.'

Gibbs shot a look at the two-way mirror.

+'I'm thinkin' the same thing you are Gibbs.'+ Said Vance, not even trying to conceal his distaste at the concept of child soldiers, let-alone child spies.

Jeffrey wasn't finished though.

'Just tonight, Kort gave us a call, said he wanted us to pick up a "package",' Jeffrey made air quotes around the word, 'from here in the Navy Yard, three of us came to collect, Alexa,-yes, Alexa _was,' _Jeffrey emphasised the 'was', 'the package, the other three of us had an escort duty to do.'

'And that's it?' Asked Gibbs calmly.

'That's the whole story, I might lie to you, but Alexa has every right too know the truth.'

Gibbs, leaned back in his chair and quirked a grin.

'What do you think, director?' Gibbs asked Vance through the mirror.

+'I think, we put Jeffrey and his friends under our protection, and haul Kort's sorry arse back in here.'+ Said Vance calmly.

Gibbs stood and motioned for Jeffrey to follow suit.

I stopped Jeffrey as Gibbs went into the second interrogation room.

'And that was the whole truth?' I asked, just to make sure.

'It was the whole truth.' Confirmed Jeffrey.

'I missed you so much.' I said in a cracked voice, and hugged him fiercely.

Then, much too my embarrassment when I finally realised that Gibbs, Vance, and Jeffrey's two companions had entered the hall again, I burst into tears.

Jeffrey, hugged back comfortingly.

Five minutes later, after I'd got a grip, Gibbs had 'Gibbs stared' Jeffrey's companions into silence and Jeffrey and I had broken the embrace, we all headed out to the squad room.

Everyone looked up when they saw Jeffrey and the other two walking freely.

'There's been a bit of a misunderstanding,' said Gibbs in answer of the awkward silence.

'These guys were the CIA team, and they're on our side now.' Explained Vance.

More silence, only this time, a suspicious one.

'This is Jeffrey, he was my best friend back in the lab I used to…scrape by in.' I said uncomfortably, I guess this was kind of like introducing your boyfriend to your parents for the first time, the fact that the 'existed in' description of the conditions we used to live in only works in my head didn't help either.

'Hello,' said Jeffrey calmly, 'As Alexa says, my name is Jeffrey, Jeffrey Erasmus,' He spread his wings a bit, they were night black, and like mine had dark brown primaries, but he had a patch of tan on the outer edge of his wings, near the middle.

The wings didn't break the ice.

'Who're the other two then?' Asked DiNnozzo in the same tone of dislike he'd used with Kort.

Guess no-one liked the CIA in general, and it wasn't just Kort's 'charms'.

'I'm Conrad Crow,' said the tall, weather-beaten kid.

'Just call me Techno, or Techs,' said the girl brightly, I could tell she had a slight French accent, and Conrad had an Australian accent, like Jeffrey.

According to himself, Jeffrey had spent the first six years of his life in a lab in country Victoria, apparently in an isolated part of the mountains there.

It made sense, because I'd first met Jeffrey when I was six, and an Eraser had unceremoniously dumped his crate next to mine.

We'd been best friends up to Itex's bid for global dominion.

Jeffrey went to take a piece of pizza.

'May I…?' He asked politely.

'Ok,' said DiNnozzo.

I happily, took a meat-lovers pizza and began to eat, listening as introductions were made between everyone.

Then, Gibbs phone rang.

Crap, last time that'd happened, was when Kort had tried to get custody of me from Gibbs.

'Yeah, Gibbs,' he answered in the same calm, direct, no-nonsense tone he'd used with Vance.

He listened intently for a second.

'Gear up!' Said Gibbs loudly.

'At this time of night?' Asked Tony in askance.

'The presidential Limo was just attacked, we've got the investigation.' Explained Gibbs as Ziva, McGee, DiNnozzo and Ducky all rushed to get their things.

Jeffrey sat bolt upright.

'Was this Limousine carrying marines?' Asked Jeffrey in a hollow tone.

'Why?' Asked Gibbs suspiciously.

'The director of the CIA told us to make sure that nothing happened to that motorcade, and I sent Hawkeye, Wolf and Raven to provide additional security.' Explained Jeffrey in a tone of undisguised fear and dread.

'I'm not even going to bother questioning Kort next time I see him, I'm just going too shoot him.' Said Gibbs in the pissed off tone he'd used in the memory I'd glimpsed in the elevator, as he jammed his SIG into his hip holster.

Gibbs and his team took a dark blue sedan, and Ziva was driving. I never knew you could overtake by weaving in between the gaps between cars.

Palmer and Ducky were bringing up the rear in the ambulance\truck\vehicle-thingy.

And winging it as hard as we could, were Max, her flock, Jeffrey and his two companions, and me.

ten bird-kids heading for the one place, that _had_ to be some kind of record.

Jeffrey swooped closer, on my left, and beckoned Max over, he was wearing a half-smile I'd seen once before when he'd flooded a particularly sadistic whitecoat's computer account with pornography.

We'd managed to make it till lights out before we cracked up laughing.

The whitecoat, according to the last 'coat's mind I'd read, was still in a serious, but stable condition at a secure Itex facility.

And Jeffrey had done that nearly six months ago.

'You know what they say,' said Jeffrey pleasantly, 'Birds of a feather…'

'Flock together.' Max and I finished together.

We all chuckled, even Jeffrey, although there was a drawn look about his face, and he looked abnormally pale.

He was really worried about his other three friends.

He shook himself, as Fang swooped over, below the three of us.

'You know,' said Jeffrey in a casual tone that accompanies bad ideas, 'maybe we should all, you know, band together, like all of us form one big flock, instead of, bumping into each other by accident, rescuing each other, and regarding everyone like us with suspicion.' Fang, flew vertically backwards.

'And what makes you think we'd want to?' Asked Fang icily, 'Why should we trust a spook like you?'

Jeffrey gave Fang a patronising look.

'Because, me and my Raptors have already been helping you guys on and off, and let me tell you, keeping track of two half-flocks, keeping an anarchic horde of mutants from taking out Max, and planting a small breaching charge, unnoticed on the window of a cyborg criminal mastermind's hideout in the middle of a hurricane, is no cake walk.' Fang and Max shot each other looks.

'How long?' Asked Max in a no-nonsense tone.

'Since your stay with the Liquid Nitrogen storage unit known as director Anne Walker.' Answered Jeffrey tersely.

He suddenly brightened as if he remembered something.

'Oh yeah, _Nick_,' said Jeffrey with a wicked grin I hadn't seen since he super-glued random surgical tools to their tray on April 1st the year before.

'Yes, that was my false name.' Answered Fang calmly.

'Hawkeye wanted me too tell you, that she still likes you.' Said Jeffrey evilly.

'Refresh my memory, had a couple of near-death experiences since then.' Replied Fang, still flying vertically backwards.

'Red-head, British accent, tan skin, Conrad nearly lost his lunch when he saw the two of you kissing.' Said Jeffrey in the casual tone used when bringing up someone else's embarrassing moments.

'Oh, her!' Said Fang brightening as he remembered, 'You mean she's actually a bird-kid as well?' Asked Fang.

Max was obviously wrestling with the urge to tackle Fang out of the sky.

'Damn right,' said Conrad swooping over my head, 'and I'm warning you, don't try and start it up again, there wouldn't be enough left of you to fill a ice-cream tub.' The fact that Conrad had a sword in his hand when he said it reinforced the point.

'Ok,' said Fang in a tone that suggested that he'd try and get things back off the ground ASAP.

Max and Conrad shot disdainful looks at Fang.

'Better make that a match box.' Said Max darkly.

Then we were all laughing.

Back on the ground, Gibbs, Ziva, McGee and Tony got out of the sedan, guns drawn.

'NCIS!' Shouted Gibbs, 'anyone still alive, come out slowly with your hands in the air.'

'Don't shoot!' Yelled a battered marine, with silver, anti-flash, sunglasses in dress uniform as he, a further, three marines and three heavily-armed bird-kids stepped out from an alley.

'What's your name marine?' Asked Gibbs as the marine wearing sunglasses came over.

'Captain Shane Schofield sir, USMC.' Replied Schofield, flashing a military ID.

'What happened?' Asked DiNnozzo as he surveyed the carnage of the two police cars, the craters, and assorted robot parts.

'We got bush-whacked by a pack of fuckin' robots.' Answered a marine woman who stood six foot four, had a shaved head, and looked capable of stopping an M1A1 'Abraham' battle-tank with a single blow.

'And you are?' Asked DiNnozzo of the woman.

'Gunnery sergeant Gena Newman, USMC.' She answered, flashing her ID and a smile.

The three bird-kids were looking around uneasily, contemplating slipping away before anyone decided to acknowledge their presence.

At that precise moment, Jeffrey his two companions, Max and her flock, and me, landed in a cloud of feathers and carefully folded wings.

'Holy shit.' Breathed Schofield as the dust kicked up by our landing dissipated.

A tall, red-head, with a sniper rifle over her shoulder, walked up to Jeffrey.

'Next time there's an escort job, _you're _doing it.' She said fiercely, as Jeffrey quailed slightly.

She glanced up as Jeffrey made sure that none of his escort squad had been badly injured.

She glanced directly at Fang.

'Do I know you from somewhere?' She asked in confused curiosity.

Fang just stood there expressionless under Max's warning glare.

When Ducky's truck pulled up and he exited he stopped dead.

'Jethro, I'm a medical examiner, not a mechanic.' He stated resignedly as he went over to one of the dead policemen.

'Who or what were these things after?' Asked Gibbs as Schofield stared in amazement at the thirteen winged children who were off to the side, surveying the carnage with cool indifference.

'That's classified, sir.' Said Schofield truthfully, 'I can't divulge that information, orders from right at the top.' Schofield gestured to the White House.

'That big, huh?' Asked Gibbs calmly.

'You've got no idea, Agent Gibbs.' Replied Schofield, massaging his temples to alleviate a headache that was brewing at the base of his skull.

'Who're they?' Asked Schofield curiously, indicating Alexa, Iggy, Fang and Max who were all discussing various theories on what Itex could've gained from the seemingly random attack.

Gibbs smiled wryly.

'That's classified Captain.' He said shortly.

Schofield grinned in return.

'Semper Fi?' Asked Schofield raising an eyebrow.

'Semper Fi.' Replied Gibbs evenly, 'but not here, we're just grabbing evidence and heading back to the Navy Yard.' Said Gibbs.

An hour of evidence gathering later, and everyone left the crime-scene.

The official story was a gas-line failure, and despite conspiracy theorist's best efforts to find some, not a shred of evidence could be found too contradict this.

**Well, that's a rap on this chapter, I'm working on eleven.**

**Double digits at last! (YES!)**

**And for any Artemis Fowl fans out there: **_**The Atlantis Complex**_** rocks! I highly recommend reading it.**

**Oh yeah, please take the time to review, I do like feed back, just so long as it isn't a mindless litany on how 'gay' the story is.***

***(I haven't had one like that yet, so don't start now, and I'm not suggesting that anyone would be that narrow minded either, sorry for any offence.)**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Fowl Play

**Disclaimer: See previous chapter. (joke, see chapter eight.)**

**I've decided, that yes, Fowl will feature, this is so I can nail Itex in later chapters with something big, also hopefully, I can bring the Los Angeles team into this using the same thing.**

**SPOILER ALERT!: Contains content from **_**The Atlantis Complex.**_

**Chapter Soundtrack: I'd Come For You (Nickelback)**

Frank stormed into Walkers office and glared at her.

'Why the hell did you call me off?' He demanded angrily.

Not even a strong bucket of black coffee had calmed him down.

'Because, only three of Gregor's vultures were covering the convoy, you were walking into an ambush.

Frank pictured his force waiting too storm the forensics lab, only too be caught in the firing line of a super-machine gun, a sniper rifle and an M16.

Frank admitted it would've been a disaster, and all Gregor would've had too do was take the girl himself, then walk out.

'What now then?' Asked Frank irritably taking a seat, now he had a good reason for Walker's actions, he wasn't angry, just irritated he hadn't thought of laying an ambush for the upstart bird-kid.

'You're shipping out too Los Angeles, that's where we've sent the Sinovirus vaccine source; You're in charge of security.' Director Walker informed him.

'Yes, madam director.' Said Frank, taking a swig of coffee from a hip flask, one of his own devising:

It had a battery powered thermostat built in, which meant he could keep the liquid it contained,-in this case coffee,- at an ideal temperature.

'You leave immediately.' Stated Walker smoothly, bringing the meeting to an end.

'Send in Fowl on your way out.' Called Walker after Frank.

Artemis Fowl the second was sitting patiently in director Walker's waiting room, his man-servant Butler, was busy keeping an eye on both doors.

'Hopefully, Director Walker will agree too my assuming control of this company without a fuss.' Mused Artemis too his Butler.

'I still don't see what you want with this malignancy of a company Artemis.' Said Butler with quiet distaste as the office door opened and a solidly built man, approximately shoulder-height too Butler walked out.

'Director Walker will see you now,' said the Eraser emotionlessly.

Butler eyed the man warily.

In his many adventures as a mercenary, he'd crossed paths with the savage wolf-men before, and knew how formidable they were.

'After my brush with Atlantis Complex,' said Artemis as he and Butler stood and walked into Walker's office, 'I've decided too bankrupt and bye out this company, then turn it towards saving the planet; as well as cleaning up it's research habits.' Artemis grimaced as he remembered what he'd read in Foaly's file on Itexicon Corporation.

Inhumane experimentation and conditions on human children.

Artemis had actually been tempted too just ask a few of his shadier associates too destroy the company outright, but turning it too saving the world had been the more sensible choice.

As Artemis and his man-servant came through the door, Anne Walker started having misgivings, Artemis Fowl was little more than a teenager, and the colossal Butler looked like he could rip an Eraser in half with his bare hands.

She wasn't too know Butler had actually come off the better in a brawl with a troll.

'Ah, Master Fowl,' said Director Walker smoothly as the pale teenager sat opposite her, Walker noticed that Artemis had a hazel eye and a blue eye, unnerving.

'Good morning Director Walker,' replied Artemis evenly.

'You mentioned in your e-mail you had a business proposition for this company.' Stated Walker, bringing up the relevant document on her computer.

'Yes,' confirmed Artemis, 'I have knowledge of your little world-domination bid, and I know it has gone awry too such a degree, that you have lost almost ten billion US dollars in equipment, supplies and property.' Artemis said blithely, and brought up the relevant file on his phone.

Director Walker was non-plussed, no-one other than a couple of governments, the experiments and Itex employees knew of Itex's motives.

'How did you find out about-?' Walker broke off, and looked confused.

Artemis gave her his vampire smile.

'I've got a friend. He's got all the numbers and e-mail accounts.' Said Artemis cryptically.

Walker thought hard.

She was dealing with a criminal mastermind who was allegedly responsible for toppling Jon Spiro, rescuing his father from the Russian Mafia, and was widely regarded as the most intelligent person on the planet.

After she'd taken control of Itex after Director Marian Jansson's arrest, she'd taken the company's R&D branches underground, consolidating everything, stockpiling and trying too recoup losses while continuing as normal.

Obviously she'd made a mistake somewhere and she now had Artemis Fowl the second sitting across from her with a mysterious proposition.

'What is your proposition?' Asked Walker bluntly, straight too the point was obviously the best course of action in this situation.

Artemis's vampire smile widened.

'I'm willing too purchase Itexicon's Research and Development branches, and all associated assets, for ten billion dollars, which is double what they are currently worth.' Said Artemis, calmly, 'take it, or leave it, that's my ultimatum.'

Walker regarded Artemis with a patronising look.

'That isn't going too happen, young man.' Said Walker with the air of a teacher talking to a very stupid student.

'Well, perhaps you would like me too spill what Itex's R&D branches really experiment on too the media.' Said Artemis smoothly, not missing Walker's tone.

'You wouldn't dare,' Said Walker crossly, 'the resultant frenzy would probably be the death of the experiments, and I'd say you care too much too allow that too happen.'

Artemis stood and looked Director Walker in the eyes, his unnerving mismatched eyes gave Walker the chills.

'If that's the case, then we shall be going.' Said Artemis calmly, and he and Butler walked out, leaving Director Anne Walker more non-plussed than ever.

'Frank, prepare our demands, it's time we gave the US government our ultimatum.' Walker called Frank over his head-set as she sat down.

Artemis Fowl was not the sort of person you crossed.

He had six months previously, brought out a hotel empire that another student at St. Bartleby's college was heir too, simply because that student had teased Artemis about his driving skills.

He had also bankrupted the software empire of a certain crooked businessman by the name of Jon Spiro for nearly killing Butler and stealing a miniature super-computer from him.

After the meeting with director Walker, Artemis had made arrangements for a tour of the facility.

The more Artemis saw, the more revolted he became, horribly failed recombinant lifeforms laid motionless and waited for death.

On one occasion, a winged girl reached out and caught hold of Artemis's arm with a strong grip and pulled him closer.

'Please…, help me…' She begged in a hoarse voice before a whitecoat rapped the back of her hand with a thin strip of cane.

Artemis saw a muscle twitch in Butler's neck as the man-servant resisted the urge too kill the sadistic scientist.

When the tour was complete, Artemis left with mixed feelings, for one, he'd learnt a great deal on the subject of genetic engineering, but still, he felt revolted and angry at the treatment of the experiments, who were obviously human enough too understand that they shouldn't have to live like they did.

And finally Artemis felt an elated happiness.

Artemis grinned as he remembered that the _third_ member of the party had been running a bit of sabotage on the lab.

When they reached the rental BMW, and were headed back too the hotel, Artemis consulted his phone, or more specifically the data he'd hacked from director Walker's computer.

Then he made a call.

'Foaly,' said Artemis as the centaur answered.

'What have you done now, Mud Boy?' Asked Foaly over the line.

'I haven't started anything… yet.' said Artemis truthfully.

'What's this about?' Asked Foaly huffily.

'Have you got a feed from the data-twists?' Asked Artemis professionally.

'Yes, Mud Boy, we have the feed.' Replied Foaly.

'I've got some knew information, can you put me through too NCIS?' Asked Artemis with the same cool tone he spent so much time using.

Artemis's phone rang.

'Of course,' said Foaly as someone else answered the call, and Foaly signed off.

'Hello?' Asked a calm reserved voice over the phone.

'Hello,' said Artemis in his clinical business tone.

'Who is this?' Asked the man on the other end.

'Someone who has information you might find interesting.' Said Artemis cryptically.

'Well, spill it.' said the other man.

'Not over the phone, the line might be tapped,' Said Artemis coolly, 'If you're interested, be at the Vietnam Wall in half an hour, I shall be waiting, and bring the girl known as Wendy.'

There was a moments silence, then:

'We'll be there.'

Artemis hung up.

Time too deal Itexicon a body blow.

**Short chapter, but I do have plans for this.**

**Anyway, please review, and I'm working on chapter twelve**

* * *

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	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

A Lead

**Disclaimer: Guess I have to add Artemis Fowl too the list of things I don't own.**

**For all else, see Chapter Eight.**

**Chapter Soundtrack: Murder City (Greenday)**

I was talking too Abby in her lab when Gibbs came in.

'If you ever need a place too stay, when Itex doesn't know where you are, you're welcome too come and stay with me.' Said Abby,- we were discussing the various pros and cons of being homeless and on the run.

'Well that's very sweet of you Abb's,' said Gibbs from behind her.

Abby turned around

'Gibbs, I haven't found anything yet,' said Abby mournfully.

'Maybe this'll help,' said Gibbs and produced a Caf-Pow from behind his back.

Abby accepted the drink and took a deep pull.

'Thanks Gibbs, I'll get straight back on it,' she said and went back too analysing the various pieces of evidence.

'I didn't come down to check up on you Abby, I just got an anonymous phone-call, from someone with information on what Itex has got planned.'

'And they want me there, too verify you are who you say you are.' I concluded, standing up and crossing my arms over my chest.

Gibbs nodded.

'Ziva and DiNnozzo will be watching from a safe distance, to make sure this isn't a trap, and Jeffrey volunteered too come as well.' Said Gibbs in response too my unasked question.

'Well, what are we waiting for?' I asked and put on my hoodie, I'd gotten the bloodstains out with Abby's help, which had taken a while, but now it was clean, and warm thanks too my control over fire.

We met Jeffrey in the evidence garage.

'What's going on about a place too stay?' I asked him as we got in the car, with Gibbs at the wheel.

'Well, Vance delivered told the director of the CIA that he's permanently taken command of the Raptors,-the codename for the little group I'm in charge of,-and, the CIA sent over everything we had at the warehouse where we were, and now Vance has set us up in a disused basement, so we're cool as far as a place too stay is concerned.' Said Jeffrey, buckling his seat-belt and leaning back in his seat.

'Room for one more?' I asked as Gibbs started the engine.

'There's always room for one more.' Replied Jeffrey smiling.

'Actually, there's enough room for the Flock too crash there as well if they wanted too.' Confessed Jeffrey scratching his chin.

I smiled in amusement, 'I doubt it, Max and Hawkeye would come too blows over Fang, and I sincerely doubt that that girl, Angel is as innocent as she looks, remember what we were like at that age?' I asked Jeffrey reprovingly, and he blushed.

'Yeah, we probably would've ended up forging a bird-kid nation, or something, what with everything we were doing, if we'd continued.' Said Jeffrey dreamily staring at the ceiling.

'What did you do?' Asked Gibbs curiously as he turned off the highway.

'Tried too escape several times, ended up responsible for several people losing jobs,' Jeffrey shrugged, 'not much different from what we were doing about a year ago actually,' he said thoughtfully.

I chuckled quietly, as Gibbs pulled into the parking lot of the Vietnam wall.

Ziva and Tony were all ready there, a discreet distance from a very odd pair:

The first guy must've been about seven feet tall, minimum six-foot-eight.

The second guy was just a kid, black hair, pale skin, and just looking at him made me feel uneasy.

They were standing and examining the wall as we pulled up, or at least, they were pretending too;

When we got out of the car and started walking over, the shorter guy glanced up.

'It's something of a tragedy, that we insist on destroying ourselves on the basis of our differences,' said the second guy, he had an Irish accent, and I didn't have too read his mind too instantly know two things:

Firstly, this guy had a colossal ego, and secondly, he was very intelligent.

'You the guy who said they had some Intel on Itex?' Asked Gibbs, not bothering too reply too the philosophical ice-breaker.

'Depends on who you are.' Stated the big guy; This guy, it was immediately obvious, was dangerous, and a person that you wanted on your side.

Gibbs pulled out his badge, flashing his gun as he did so.

'Special Agent Gibbs, NCIS.' Said Gibbs.

'And who're you?' The giant asked me.

'The names Alexa Angelos, but, a couple of people know me as 'Wendy'. I answered, crossing my arms and staring the guy in the eyes.

I only came up too his chest, so it was a little tricky too make this look intimidating.

'Show us the wings, it's the only way to convince me that you are who you claim too be.' Said the short guy, who couldn't have been older than me.

_Do it Alexa; We need that Intel,_ said Jeffrey, mentally.

In case anyone is wondering, I _can _send thoughts with my telepathy, influence people, etc. I just choose not too.

I sighed, 'If this wasn't so important, I'd just knock you out cold.' I said, and extended my wings.

The Irish kid looked like he'd seen this kind of thing a hundred times before, but I couldn't tell, because his mind was as unreadable as Gibbs'.

'Very well, Agent Gibbs, I'll share my information, on the condition that I'm in on the case.' Said the kid.

'Not until I know who the hell you are.' Said Gibbs sternly.

'My name is Artemis Fowl the second, if you must know.' Said Artemis calmly.

'You are definitely not in on this case then; There's no way I'm letting a juvenile criminal mastermind in on this sort of classified case.' Said Gibbs calmly.

'Then you're not getting that Intel.' Stated Artemis smoothly.

Gibbs opened his mouth too reply, but his mobile rang.

'Would you tell me?' I asked sweetly, with a smile.

'Feminine charms don't work on me.' Said Artemis calmly, crossing his arms across his chest.

'How about fireballs?' I enquired conjuring a fireball around my right hand.

The big guy drew a gun and stepped in front of Fowl; A bodyguard, how clichéd.

'Just tell us what you know.' Sighed Jeffrey in a weary tone, 'If you lot do anything more macho, you're in danger of making _yourselves_, pregnant.

I set Jeffrey's shirt on fire, making him yelp, and causing him too hit the dirt too smother the flames.

Fowl smiled, and I expected Fangs too sprout from his top jaw, the mismatched eyes didn't help either.

'I believe, that that line is from a _Top Gear_ episode.' Said Fowl dryly.

Gibbs closed his phone; 'Fowl, Director Vance has asked me too escort you back too the Navy Yard, there's been a development.' Said Gibbs in the same tone he used with McGee, Ziva and Tony.

'I will come, but your young friends might want too know that the DC Itex lab is about too experience a breakout tonight.' Said Fowl casually.

'And how would you know that?' Asked Jeffrey suspiciously.

'Because an associate of mine has sabotaged their security, if the police, or a casual thief tried too break in, they could do whatever they liked with impunity.' Replied Fowl.

Jeffrey and I shot looks at each other.

_I say we do some damage._ Thought Jeffrey.

_We might be able too break Osprey and Kyte out as well._ I thought back.

In all the excitement, I'd completely forgotten about the other two resident bird-kids of DC.

Osprey, was a girl a year younger than me, and, as her name suggested, she was part Osprey.

Kyte, was Osprey's brother, but he was part Red Kite, he was also a more than capable telepath\telekinetic, but due too his reckless streak, he was locked in a cage, surrounded by tinfoil, which for some reason, deadened telepathy and telekinesis.

Osprey had telepathic powers as well, but she was also a lot more cautious.

Last I'd seen of them, they'd been running on treadmills, with wires all over them.

Jeffrey nodded once, and spread his wings.

'Where are you going?' Asked Gibbs in sternly.

'Visiting.' I said, also spreading my wings.

'The hell you are.' Said Gibbs as Jeffrey and I jumped in the air.

We landed nimbly and turned around.

'And why not? We've got friends in there who are suffering god knows what horrors.' I said in cool confusion.

'Because the Director wants everyone with knowledge of these events back at the Navy Yard _now._' Said Gibbs firmly.

Grudgingly, we got back in the car.

**Again, sorry for the short chapter, but I'm trying too set something up here, next up will be a set up for a couple of fights.**

**And before I forget, please review!**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter Thirteen

The Itex Ultimatum

**Disclaimer: I don't own Artemis Fowl, Maximum Ride, NCIS, NCIS Los Angeles or Scarecrow.**

**I own any and all OC's and Original Technologies in this story, any other fictional technologies belong too one of the other stories.**

**Any similarities between characters and actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental, except in the case of famous or well known persons.**

**This isn't being written for profit.**

**(Although I do gain immense enjoyment from writing this, as well as invaluable practice at novel writing, so there you go.)**

**Chapter Soundtrack: Cry for Eternity (Dragonforce)**

When we got back too the Navy Yard, it was midnight.

Artemis's bodyguard, Butler, (Probably a lot of jokes you could do with that if you were stupid enough too try.) disarmed himself, then, we entered the elevator and went back up too the squad-room.

''Bout time you got here.' Said Vance from the top of the stairs, 'MTAC, now, Fowl as well.' With that, Vance strode into MTAC.

Not waiting for Gibbs, Fowl or Butler, Jeffrey and I flew up too MTAC and walked in.

Of all the rooms I'd been in so far at the Navy Yard, this was the absolute _coolest_.

A wall sized plasma screen, several computer terminals, and best of all: Cinema style seating.

I looked around for a popcorn machine and was disappointed not too find one.

'What's happened?' Asked Gibbs as he walked in.

'Itex is getting aggressive, they've allied with the Chinese, threatened a biological attack with a Chinese bio-weapon called the Sinovirus.' Said Vance calmly facing the room at large.

The marine captain, Schofield, still wearing his sunglasses, smacked his fist into his opposite palm.

'That's why they attacked the motorcade, they wanted control of Kevin, because his blood is the cure too the Sinovirus, he was genetically engineered solely for the purpose of harvesting the cure from his blood.' Said Schofield in realisation.

'There's more,' said Vance, 'about half an hour ago, the president sent us this transmission, said it came from an anonymous source.' Vance pressed the 'play' button on a little remote he was holding and the big plasma screen crackled into life.

On screen sat a blacked out human figure, behind a desk.

'_Hello mister president.' _Said the figure in an electronically distorted voice.

'_As you are probably aware by now, Itex is now in control of the cure too the Chinese biological weapon known as the Sinovirus.' _The figure paused again, and a photo of a young boy of about six, he had blue eyes, pale skin and blonde hair, he also looked scared. I didn't blame him.

'_We are also in control of enough Sinovirus too wipe out all major capitol cities in America and Europe, and still have enough left over too deal with Australia and New Zealand.' _The figure paused for dramatic effect.

'_We _will_ launch the aforementioned biological attack, if the United States and her allies do not bow too our demands; They are as follow:_

_The legalisation of genetic experimentation on humans;_

_Global funding for Itex's various research projects;_

_Full, and irrevocable diplomatic immunity for Itex, again effective worldwide.'_

The figure paused again and looked directly at the camera, which was a wasted gesture, because he or she was blacked out.

'_The United States' reaction too these demands will be taken as the reaction of her allies, if America refuses, then the attack goes ahead, even if the allies agree.'_

The tape stopped playing and the screen returned too normal.

'Can we trace that?' Asked Schofield calmly.

'Negative captain, we've already tried.' Replied Vance wearily.

'If I may director, I have information that may be of use too you.' Said Fowl, standing up and addressing the group.

'What might a reformed criminal mastermind have too offer NCIS?' Asked Vance neutrally.

'I know where they're keeping the Sinovirus cure, at least, for now.' Said Fowl succinctly.

'Spill it, if these bastards don't have Kevin, they can't carry out their threat.' Said a the slightly short, red haired woman sitting at Captain Schofield's right.

'I'm not sure it'll be that simple.' Said Fowl wearily, 'Although, regaining young Kevin would have it's advantages, if you could stop Itex's reprisal once they realise we have the boy back.'

'Still, wear is he?' Asked Vance again.

'I tried too bye out Itex earlier, today, and although negotiations were short and ineffective, I did hack the director's computer and copied her files.' Said Artemis smugly.

'What was in there?' I asked curiously, maybe there was something on me, like who my parents were, or, other powers I might have, siblings, things that could be important.

'A lot, although the most interesting piece, was that a 'subject' called Kevin, was being held in Los Angeles.' Answered Artemis evasively.

'That doesn't mean anything,' objected Max crossly, 'this Kevin, might be one of their experiments.'

'He's not,' said Artemis, and flashed his phone's screen up on the plasma, and rewound the demand tape too where it showed Kevin's photo, then, Artemis opened a file on his phone, it had vital stats on a mutant Itex had 'acquired', and the photo was exactly the same.

'I gain nothing by lying, or obstructing this investigation director Vance, and if you succeed in stopping Itex, I can bye the company at rock-bottom prices, and turn it towards other uses, such as environmental research.' said Fowl, and switched his phone off, or at least, cleared the plasma.

'We'll have too get Special Agent Callen too break out Kevin, in the mean time, if we capture Itex's director, we might be able too stop this right now, or at the very least, slow them down long enough too find where they're storing the virus, and disarm their distribution system.'

'We'll perform the raid.' Said Schofield firmly, standing up and pacing back and forth.

'Who is the director, and where is he staying?' Asked Gibbs calmly.

'The director in charge of Itex at present is one Anne Walker, I haven't got a clue where she's currently staying though.' Answered Artemis calmly as his phone rang, 'although I think I might know someone who can find out.' He said with a vampire smile, then he answered his phone and stepped outside MTAC for some quiet and privacy.

'Any ideas on where too hit?' Vance asked me calmly.

'The lab I was raised in would probably be a good start, Walker's in charge there, and she normally works late.' I said thoughtfully, 'and besides, Artemis told us he's already disabled their security, so we could hit them and they wouldn't be any the wiser.'

'Maximum, you stayed with Walker for a period of time last year, right?' Vance asked.

'Yeah, we did, but I doubt she'd still be there, what with impersonating a FBI agent and all, she's probably gone underground.' Said Max, scratching her head thoughtfully.

'We'll hit both those places simultaneously, see if we can't find anything.' Said Vance in a business tone.

'Schofield, you and your marines, Fowl's bodyguard Alexa, and half of Jeffrey's Raptors will tackle the lab, Gibbs, your team, the flock and the rest of Jeffrey's team will nail that house, I'll fast track warrants now, I'll doubt there'll be any complaints.' Said Vance.

'Sir, we've got an incoming MTAC feed from the White House.' Said McGee, who was manning one of the computers.

'Put it up McGee,' said Gibbs before Vance could speak.

McGee obliged, and the president's face appeared on screen.

'Hello mister president.' Said Vance pleasantly, 'what can we do for you?' he asked.

'_I called too let you know that anything short of a nuclear strike on this one, you and your people have got it, we're talking about the fate of the world as we know it here.'_ Said the President professionally.

'We'll keep that in mind mister President,' said Vance.

'_Good luck, all of you.'_ Said the President, then he cut the feed.

'We never get to do anything small?' Said Max tiredly.

'I'm in command on the house raid, and Gasman, Angel, you two aren't coming on this one, too dangerous.' Said Gibbs firmly.

'Oh, they're coming all right.' Said Max heatedly staring Gibbs in the eyes.

'I haven't got time too argue, but you're taking guns on this one, otherwise, you're not coming.'

'Whatever,' said Max, and we all headed out.

When everyone had filed out, Vance had McGee put an MTAC feed through too Los Angeles.

'_We got the e-mail director Vance,_' said the division coordinator, Henrietta 'Hetty' Lange calmly, '_I've got Callen, Hanna and Kensi awake and on stand-by in case a lead comes up over here.'_

Vance nodded in approval.

'Good work Hetty, I've got Intel that our bad-guys are holding the Sinovirus cure somewhere in LA, most likely in the branch they have over your way.'

'_We'll get on it immediately director.' _Said Special Agent G. Callen as he walked in the room.

'Be careful Agent Callen, if these guys find out what's happening, or if there's anyone left too tell them, then the world is going too suffer it's worst biological terror attack in history.' Said Vance.

'_We'll be careful.'_ Promised Callen reassuringly.

'Well, let's get this show moving then.' Said Vance and cut the line.

**Things are starting too heat up now!**

**Now, my big question is, should the fairy-folk get involved in this?**

**As in actively help NCIS, the Raptors, Schofield, the Flock and Alexa, or should I just leave this one too Artemis and Butler?**

**Anyway, review, and I'll get working on Chapter Fourteen.**

**Oh, and anyone got anything too say about the soundtracks?**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

Striking Out

**Disclaimer: See previous Chapter.**

**A\N: This chapter also spawned **_**Rulers of the Skies,**_** an MR\Inheritance Cycle crossover, and will include the first chapter of **_**Rulers of the Skies**_**.**

**Chapter Soundtrack: Revolution Deathsquad (Dragonforce)**

In the end, Artemis came with us as well too monitor guard movements.

We stopped around the corner from the lab, and Schofield, his marines,-now in full combat gear,- Butler,-still in his suit,- Wolf, Conrad and Techno,-now fully kitted out,- and myself, piled out of the semi-trailer.

We'd decided that the semi would be more subtle than a van, because, what government surveillance team would use a semi-trailer? Every Federal agency used vans, so people would watch for them.

No-one would pay much attention too a truck pulling up in the warehouse district.

Artemis stayed behind with one of Schofield's marines, a man by the name of Buck Riley Jr., although Schofield's marines called him Book II.

We all had codenames on this one:

Schofield and his marines were going by their usual callsigns: Scarecrow, Mother, Fox and Book II.

Butler remained Butler.

The Raptors just put a number in in front of 'Raptor', so we just used their names, too save time.

I got stuck with 'Harrier'.

We all stayed low and reached the corner, where we stopped while Techs stuck a camera round the corner.

'Two guards, robotic by the look of 'em, but they aren't Flyboys, so carefully does it.' Reported Techno quietly.

'Allow me.' I said, and ducked around the corner, keeping low and slithering under a car; From there, I took aim at the two guards.

_Phut!-Phut! Phut!-Phut!_

I double tapped both guards, once each in the head and chest, the silencer I'd borrowed from Techno muffled the sound; Surprisingly, their heads exploded in a shower of blood.

As the others moved up I glared at Techno.

'You said they were robots.' I said accusingly.

She shrugged. 'They were, but they had an organic base, so technically speaking, I didn't lie, I just didn't know they were cyborgs.' She said unconcerned.

We stayed low and hurried too the main entrance.

Schofield pulled a breaching charge out of pack and I shook my head slightly.

'Allow me, Scarecrow.' I said, and focused intently on the lock.

A couple of seconds later, there was a tiny _click!_ And the door silently swung open.

I winked slyly as Schofield gave me a look from behind the sunglasses.

We entered, cautiously, guns up, and Butler and I took point.

I lead the way towards the area where they held the experiments, in the hallway just out side were another pair of robots.

No time for stealth this time.

Schofield slapped the breaching charge too the door, and took cover too the left, I covered too the right and the others clustered behind us, while Wolf covered the middle out in the open.

I caught Schofield's nod and I nodded back, he hit the button.

The door disintegrated.

We were both on our feet, and charged through the door as it clattered too the floor.

_Bang!-Bang! Bang!-Bang!_

Schofield double tapped the guards on the fly, dropping them.

We kept running and when we reached the next door, Schofield simply kicked it open.

We all piled through, guns up.

I headed down one aisle, looking for anyone who'd taken cover at the gunshots.

I ran into some old friends.

'Wendy, you came back for us.' Said Hawk in joy, and ran forward, an overjoyed smile on his face.

Behind him, stood Torque, Telia and Elizabeth, also out of their crates.

Off too one side was a meter tall humanoid with a platinum hand-gun.

Just then, reality buckled.

I jumped backwards, nearly knocking Mother over in my haste too get clear.

The humanoid also jumped clear and disappeared.

Hawk and the others weren't so lucky, they were pulled in, then the weird hole-thing closed with a tiny _pop!_

'What the fuck?' Swore Mother loudly.

'No way…' Muttered Conrad, looking troubled.

'Let's keep moving people,' said Schofield professionally.

We moved on, but I felt a sense of loss, aside from Jeffrey, the only friends I'd had in this place, were Hawk, Torque, Telia, Elizabeth, Kyte and Osprey.

Making a snap decision, I diverted from where everyone else was headed and went over too a crate insulated with tin-foil.

I burnt it away quickly and popped the lock.

Kyte was awake in an instant at the bolt being drawn and he leapt out comically.

'Freedom.' He whispered as he stood up.

'Cut the dramatics crap Kyte, and tell me where your sister is.' I said shaking my head wearily as Schofield came over.

Kyte broke off and gave the marine an apprehensive look.

'Alexa, what the hell are you doing?' Asked Schofield in the irritated tone you heard drill-sergeants use on TV.

'Doing the right thing.' I said firmly.

'Where's your sister Kyte?' I asked again, then added: 'The Scarecrow won't bite, we're here too put Walker in the slammer.'

Kyte relaxed slightly. 'Osprey's over the other side,' He pointed too a crate out on it's own on the other side of the lab.

'We'll get her on the way back.' Said Schofield urgently, 'We have too get Walker, if we fail, the world can kiss it's ass good-bye.'

'You go on ahead, leave Butler and we'll catch up.' I said, I had a reason for wanting the bodyguard too stay behind, other than the fact he could probably rip a Flyboy in half with his bare hands.

'Fine, you've got five minutes.' Said Schofield resignedly, then jogged off after the others, MP-10 at the ready.

The bodyguard went too follow the marine, but a hand signal from Schofield, and he came over too where I was standing, and Kyte was trying too figure out what was going on.

'Wendy, why did that marine call you Alexa?' He asked in confusion.

'I changed my name, Kyte, it's Alexa Angelos now.' I told him wearily.

'What are we doing?' Asked Butler curiously.

'Breaking out a friend, she's over there in that crate by itself.' I indicated Osprey's crate, then walked over at a brisk pace.

Osprey was crouched in the cage, watching in fear as I came over.

'What…What's going on?' She asked in a hoarse, fearful voice, Osprey barely ever spoke, she preferred too spend most of her time staying under the whitecoat's radar, she wasn't a coward as such, but the whitecoats seemed too come down on her harder than the rest of us when she talked back, or lashed out.

'We're here to get you out of here, Osprey,' I said in a reassuring tone, taking her hand, as Butler popped the lock.

I noticed that she had a very nasty welt across her knuckles.

Tentatively, Osprey climbed out and, upon seeing her brother, her knees gave way.

I caught her before she hit the floor.

'Kyte, help your sister.' I ordered confidently.

Wordlessly, Kyte obeyed, although I could feel his desire too object.

We started after the others.

'Butler, who was that other person, just before that hole-thing swallowed those others?' I asked curiously. And don't fob me off with 'I have no idea,' because I'm a mind-reader, and I got the name _Holly Short from _you when she dove for cover.'

Butler stopped dead. 'I can't tell you.' He said.

'Actually you can, but you can tell me later.' I said, I turned around and recoiled as I saw the person from before, with the helmet off, the thing that really got me though, was the fact she had a gun on me.

'In there.' Ordered the woman.

In short order, we filed into a surveillance room and after punching out the camera, and the two guards, locked the door.

'Who are you?' I asked suspiciously, but Butler was completely at ease.

'I'm Captain Holly Short, LEP.' She said simply.

'LEP? Who're they?' I asked in confusion.

Then I noticed the Captain's ears.

'Oh.' I said in surprise.

'You're in way over your head, bird-girl.' Said Captain Short seriously.

'I kinda figured that when the CIA got involved.' I said crossing my arms and trying too read Short's mind; no such luck though, she was as unreadable as Fowl or Gibbs.

'Just, forget you saw me, and we'll discuss this some other time.' Said Short, handing me a card with odd looking picto-grams on it.

'What the hell is this supposed too say?' I asked incredulously as Short began climbing into an air-vent.

'Give it too Artemis next time you see him.' Said Short shortly, as she pulled the vent's grating back into place.

I gave Butler a confused look.

'…What was all that about?' I asked at length.

'Some other time.' Said Butler as he pulled the surveillance tape from the player.

'A reason for the detour.' Said Butler shortly as he caught my look.

'Not a word you two.' He said, giving Osprey and Kyte a stern glance, that if given by a whitecoat, prompted an immediate urge too crack up laughing.

Osprey and Kyte nodded meekly, and we stepped back into the corridor.

'Nothing and no-one.' Said Schofield as he came around the corner, 'they even took the computer hard-drive, guess all that's left is too free the recombinants, and get them too the Navy Yard.' Said Schofield.

The plan had been, once Walker had been captured, we would free the other experiments, and shuttle them too the Navy Yard in the semi-trailer.

We were still on schedule, but we didn't have Walker, so now it was all down too Gibbs and his team.

We came back into the lab area and stopped dead.

There were at least fifty of the same type of robot that had been guarding the doors.

Upon seeing us they charged.

Ten against fifty; you had too feel sorry for them.

Conrad, Techs and Wolf drew their swords, and Wolf threw a collapsible fighting staff too Fox.

Schofield drew a K-bar 9 combat knife.

Butler and Mather simply charged the robots.

I shoved Kyte and Osprey into cover and let loose a telekinetic shockwave, which knocked the front rank of combat robots over, which in turn tripped up the second row, giving everyone a few extra seconds too close.

Butler fell on the robots like a meteor, literally, with a body-slam, before taking the legs out from under several more with a leg-sweep.

Conrad decapitated one of the 'bots, then cut another in half at the waist, before I lost sight of him, but limbs, gore and grease flew in his wake.

Mother and Butler were bodily throwing the 'bots into their fellows, and Fox was fighting two at a time with the staff Wolf had given her.

I was getting on just fine.

I put a spinning kick into the side of one 'bot's head, set another one on fire, and hit another in the torso with a flaming fist, also setting that 'bot on fire.

Then one of them grabbed me in a bear-hug.

These things were stronger than they looked.

Suddenly, the pressure, which had been threatening too black me out relented.

I turned around too see Schofield, with a bloodied nose, and covered in blood and grease.

His sunglasses had been broken in the fight, revealing piercing blue eyes, and the vertical scars on his eyelids.

His K-bar was lodged in the combat bot's back.

'Those are some nasty looking scars.' I blurted, then blushed as I realised how silly I sounded.

The fight was over.

We'd all taken a few knocks, but we were pretty all right.

We began opening crates too see if any of their occupants were alive.

We found several very young bird-kids, and a human\cat person who called himself Felix, but other than that, the rest of the occupants were either dead, or dying in such agony that we were forced too grant them the mercy of a swift death.

We were so thoroughly furious and angry at what Itex had done, that before we left, we wired the whole place with Thermite charges.

When we got outside, Artemis and Book II were waiting.

We all got in and Schofield hit the detonate button when we rounded the bend.

We felt the detonation before we heard it.

We stopped and looked back at the flaming ruin.

'Well that wasn't very nice, that was my house!' Said Felix irritably.

This was so odd, considering what we all knew about Itex that we were laughing as we drove back too the Navy Yard, despite the fact we'd failed.

**Chapter 15 is in the works, Read, Review and continue reading; Please.**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter Fifteen

How to Make a Housecall…Gibbs Style

**Disclaimer: See previous chapter**

**Chapter Soundtrack: Cold Hearted Man (AC\DC)**

Gibbs, Tony, Ziva, and McGee drove out too Walker's old ranch, with the Flock, Jeffrey, Raven and Hawkeye flying overhead, Max was on point, guiding Gibbs who was driving.

'Gates,' said Gibbs into his microphone as they reached them.

'Allow me,' said Jeffrey, and he descended too hover in front of the car on silent wings.

'Stand back a bit.' Said Jeffrey calmly, making shooing motions with a hand as he attached something too the gate.

Without hesitation, Gibbs slammed the car into reverse.

Jeffrey flew after them, and when they reached what Jeffrey judged was a safe distance, Jeffrey hit the detonator.

A kilogram of semtex high explosive detonated, buckling the gate and sending them sailing through the air in pieces.

'Clear!' Shouted Jeffrey as the gate clattered too the ground.

Gibbs slammed the car back into drive and thundered up the now clear driveway.

'Very subtle Jeffrey.' Said Gibbs sarcastically.

'Look who's talking; Wasn't it you who suggested that the Scarecrow's team take a semi-trailer too the lab?' Asked Jeffrey in polite confusion.

'Okay wise guy, what have we got in the way of movement?' Asked Gibbs in return, ignoring Jeffrey's remark.

'It's quiet as the grave, I don't like it.' Said Hawkeye professionally.

Jeffrey landed by the front door and was quickly joined by Gibbs.

'What the hell is that?' Asked Gibbs indicating Jeffrey's gun.

'Oblivion Pistol, one of Techs' inventions, pretty much a .50 calibre pistol.' explained Jeffrey slightly apologetically.

Gibbs held up a finger.

Jeffrey glanced through the door, and saw movement.

Gibbs covered the door instantly.

Jeffrey opened it a crack, and Gibbs kicked the door open, hitting the person on the other side full in the face.

'Federal agents, hit the dirt! Now!' Bellowed Gibbs as similar sounds of doors being kicked in sounded on the bottom level.

Jeffrey turned his high beam helmet lights on full-blast.

On the ground in front of them was a young man in a night shirt, clutching his bleeding nose tightly.

'What the fuck was that for asshole?' He enquired angrily through a broken nose.

'Clear!' Shouted Ziva.

'Clear!' Shouted Max from up stairs.

'Clear!' Said McGee stepping from a lounge room off too the right.

'Looks like she ditched the place.' Said McGee resignedly sinking into a chair at the table.

'Oh shit!' Said Jeffrey as he glanced at McGee, 'McGee, get out of there, that table's wired!' Shouted Jeffrey in alarm.

Gibbs looked where Jeffrey had pointed, sure enough, the underside of the table was covered in blocks of C-4.

'Everyone, get out of here!' Shouted Gibbs loudly, as he and Jeffrey grabbed the guy who was still clutching his face, and threw themselves back out the door, closely followed by McGee.

Hawkeye and Iggy shot out of a top-floor window, closely followed by Raven, Nudge, Angel and the Gasman.

Fang and Max jumped straight out a window, without bothering too open it first.

There was the sound of breaking glass, and Ziva and Tony came running into view.

'Yeah, real smooth you bloody idiot!' Snarled the kid angrily as he sat up and took his hand away from his face.

'Was that _your_ bomb?' Asked Gibbs angrily.

'Yeah, in case Itex's festering enforcers decided they'd like too recapture me.' Explained the kid angrily. His voice was clearer now, because his nose had stopped bleeding.

'Who the hell are you?' Asked Jeffrey, with his gun pointed at the ground.

'My name isn't important, what is important, is the fact you lot just guaranteed I'm going too have too find somewhere else too hide!' The kid shouted angrily.

'What did you do too piss Itex off?' Asked Max confused as she landed.

The kid snorted derisively. 'Blackmailed 'em, told them if they didn't start respecting their test-subjects, I'd rat 'em out too the UN.'

'And why would they believe you?' Asked Raven coolly glaring venomously at the kid.

'Because, a) I have photographic and video evidence of what they've done, and b) I work for them.' He said slowly and clearly, like he was talking too a very stupid person.

'CIA?' Asked Jeffrey suddenly.

'Yep.' Replied the kid.

'Who was your handler?' Asked Jeffrey, grabbing the kid by the lapels.

'Gregor, what are you doing here?' Asked a voice from off too the group's right.

Everyone turned around, guns up.

'Jeb? What are you doing here?' Asked Max in surprise, lowering her gun slightly.

**Okay, Read and review, I'm starting too slow up a bit on ideas, so I mightn't update for a while.**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen

Blind Shot

**Disclaimer: See chapter Thirteen.**

**Chapter Soundtrack: Highway to Hell (AC\DC)**

Jeffrey stood up and solemnly holstered his Oblivion Pistol.

'Well, if it ain't Doctor Death himself.' Said Jeffrey in a voice of pure, ice cold venom.

Raven holstered her gun and stepped forward nervously eyeing Jeffrey, hostility and hatred radiated from him in waves.

Hawkeye glared venomously at Jeb, but unlike Jeffrey and Raven, kept her gun doggedly aimed between Jeb's legs.

'Hello Gregor, it's been a long time.' Said Batchelder calmly, ignoring the fires of hatred raging in Jeffrey's eyes.

'Give me one good reason why I don't fill you full of holes.' Said Jeffrey, deliberately drawing his P100 assault rifle and thumbing the safety.

Gibbs stepped forward and pushed Jeffrey's gun down.

'Stand down Jeffrey.' Said Gibbs calmly, as Ziva did the same with Hawkeye.

Another person stepped out of Jeb's jeep. It was Kort.

Gibbs took his and away and Jeffrey's rifle instantly tracked Trent Kort's heart.

'Freeze, you back stabbing traitor!' Growled Jeffrey furiously.

'Rather frosty Jeffrey, I thought you were grateful I saved your life.' Said Kort smoothly.

'That's before I found out how badly you were using us.' Replied Jeffrey.

DiNnozzo stepped forward and grabbed Kort's arms, and roughly cuffed them behind his back.

'Trent Kort, you are under arrest for child abuse, neglect, and anything else we can nail you with regarding the op you've been running.' Said DiNnozzo with no small amount of satisfaction.

'Go too hell DiNnozzo.' Said Kort calmly, as he slipped out of the cuffs with no apparent difficulty.

'Jeb, what have you got too do with all this?' Asked Max suspiciously.

'What do you mean by-' Jeb was cut off by Gibbs.

'Hey Jeffrey?' Asked Gibbs casually.

'Yes Gibbs, what is it?' Asked Jeffrey in a dangerously calm voice.

'Do you have a Bullshit Meter?' Asked Gibbs.

'As a matter of fact I do Gibbs,' said Jeffrey calmly, 'and it just so happens, that if it peaks, it goes straight too my trigger finger.' Said Jeffrey calmly.

'So if someone tried to lie to you, particularly if you didn't like them…?' Asked Ziva calmly.

'Yep, that's what happens.' Answered Jeffrey with a nod.

'No bullshit, Batchelder, tell us what you know, and I might not shoot you.' Said Jeffrey seriously.

_Whup-whup-whup-whup-whup;_

The unmistakable sound of a helicopter.

'Later, let's get out of here!' Said the guy with the broken nose, his grey-blue eyes darting around.

Gibbs, Ziva, DiNnozzo and McGee jumped into the sedan, Jeb Kort and the CIA guy jumped in the jeep and Jeffrey, Hawkeye, Raven and the Flock jumped into the air and stayed low as a helicopter came over the rise.

Gibbs and Jeb shot off the mark and raced down the drive, with the nine bird-kids in hot pursuit.

Apparently, the helicopter had a gunner, because Jeffrey heard the staccato sound of gunfire behind them, as he looked back, he saw the helicopter, piloted by a strangely lithe combat 'bot, with another one as the gunner, flying low after them.

'Raven! Gremlin, in that chopper, now!' Shouted Jeffrey over the wind, as they all, wove, ducked, weaved and avoided crashing into things in the dark, while keeping pace with Gibbs and Jeb.

Performing a spectacular 180º barrel roll, Raven took careful aim with her M16, and fired.

The Gremlin anti-vehicle grenade, shot straight at the helicopter, but incredibly, the gunner shot it off course, causing it too sail harmlessly past, then explode against the ground.

'No way, no fucking way!' Shouted Jeffrey beating a frantic tempo, to keep up with Gibbs and Jeb.

A burst of gunfire chased, them and Jeffrey lurched, as a bullet ricochetted off his armour.

'Gibbs? You wouldn't happen too have a Stinger missile in there would you?' Asked Jeffrey hopefully into his radio.

+'Sorry Jeffrey, you're on your own.'+ Said Gibbs loudly, over the roar of the Sedan's engine.

'What about Kort?' Asked Jeffrey as he noticed, Jeb's window opening and the shaved head of the CIA agent sticking out.

+'Ask him yourself!'+ Shouted Gibbs as he swerved too avoid a line of bullets.

Jeffrey folded his wings and swooped on top of Jeb's jeep.

'Kort! Got a Stinger missile in there by any chance?' Yelled Jeffrey over the wind.

In response, the sunroof opened, and Kort passed out the launcher.

'It's loaded, so be careful!' Shouted Kort.

'God bless the CIA.' Muttered Jeffrey as he took off, and rejoined the others.

'Cover me Raven!' Shouted Jeffrey as he tried to aim at the chopper.

'Is that a-' Suddenly, Raven screamed as a bullet shot through her wing.

Hawkeye swooped down and caught her, but now she was slowed, and the gunner began tracking them.

'Fang!' Shouted Jeffrey as he struggled too get a lock.

In answer, a burst of gunfire, ricocheted off the helicopter's skid below the gunner.

Then Max took a hit in the shoulder, effectively putting both her and Fang out of the fight as he caught her.

'Iggy, catch!' Shouted Jeffrey as he drew his P100.

Iggy caught the Stinger as it dropped past him.

'What…?' Shouted Iggy in confusion.

'Long bit over your shoulder, aim at the chopper and pull the trigger when you here the tone, I'll keep that gunner honest!' Bellowed Jeffrey in return.

As he spoke, Jeffrey fired a line of bullets, which strafed the air around the gunner, but by chance, missed, but the gunner shrunk back into the cockpit all the same.

Iggy shouldered the missile launcher, and aimed carefully at the point where the roar of it's engine was coming from.

The tone sounded, just as the gunner blind-fired.

Iggy pulled the trigger, just as a lucky shot struck him in the shoulder.

The missile shot from the launcher, sending Iggy cart-wheeling through the air, and the launcher fell from his nerveless fingers, straight through Jeb's sunroof.

Jeffrey caught Iggy, before he hit the ground, and turned around in midair.

It was a shot in a million.

Iggy's Stinger, locked onto the chopper's engine, impacted square on the cockpit, shattered the glass, and detonated against the back wall.

_Ka-boom!_ The chopper was blown apart from the inside-out, neither the pilot or the gunner had a chance too bail, and it impacted in a small forest some miles from the road.

It's wreckage was never found.

'Great shot! They're not going too be bothering us again!' Congratulated Jeffrey proudly as he shifted Iggy's weight too a more comfortable position.

'Just don't drop me…' Said Iggy weakly.

Jeb and Gibbs met up with Schofield's semi-trailer halfway back too the Navy Yard, and the back doors opened, so Iggy, Max, and Raven could be seen too.

Then, The convoy moved off back too the Navy Yard, with the CIA jeep, sandwiched between the semi-trailer, and Gibbs' sedan.

**That's sixteen, I'm going too take a break before I write seventeen, so read, review, and keep an eye out.**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter Seventeen

A Secret Revealed

**Disclaimer: See Chapter Thirteen.**

**Chapter Soundtrack: 21****st**** Century Breakdown (Greenday)**

When we all limped back into the Navy Yard, we were all dejected and depressed.

Schofield, and the rest of us had failed too find anything aside from the infant bird-kids and Felix, the cat-person.

Gibbs had hauled in Kort and Jeb, but the CIA agent that had been hiding in Walker's old house had skipped out, due too his diplomatic immunity.

And too cap all that off, Iggy, Max and Raven had been shot in the get-away, and were unlikely too be able to help.

Gibbs, Schofield, Ziva, Tony, McGee, Vance and Schofield's team were all in the conference room, discussing what too do next.

Butler and Artemis were in a cleared out basement with everyone else, Ducky and Butler were stabilising Iggy, Raven and Max.

'I don't know _why_ you didn't just bring them up to me the moment you got here,' said Ducky in annoyance; 'These basements haven't been used for ages, you risked infecting these three with god-only-knows what, simply by bringing them in here.'

I sighed wearily. 'Ducky, I have a knee-jerk reaction too anything science related, we-all us bird-kids, have knee-jerk reactions too labs, that normally leave large damage bills: Get the hell out, and do as much damage as possible in the process,' I explained for the third time, 'also, Max, Raven and Iggy are _injured, _not _dead_, so, they'll recover under their own steam in about three days, two, with medical attention, so a patch up is all they need.' I finished, before turning back too Artemis, who was looking thoughtful, and from my mind-reading, I could feel he had a mad desire too ask questions on: 'what had been done to make me like I was,' and 'what did it feel like being able too fly,' and that sort of thing.

Apparently, my _'Ask a personal question, and I'll roast you.'_ thought had got into his head.

All to the good.

I sighed again, and pulled out the card that Holly Short had given me.

'What's this mean to you?' I asked in a quiet, curious, and blunt, no-nonsense voice.

Artemis took the card, looked at it for a second then gave me a sharp look.

Really unnerving with the mismatched eyes.

'This, is a message from a good friend of mine, it's a message, that says, that if NCIS, Captain Schofield, Maximum Ride, along with Butler and myself, can't stop Itex's scheme, and apprehend Walker, that they will help us directly, because their civilisation will be at risk if Itex, with it's heavy scientific and futurist bent, will probably tumble on them quickly if they aren't stopped.' Said Artemis at length.

''Their civilisation?' What, they'll stumble on fairyland or something?' I asked sarcastically.

'That's correct, in a round-about way, if Itex gains what it wants, global dominion, it will begin too exploit resources, mining, and eventually, they will get near the Earth's core, and discover an underground civilisation; if that happens, then Captain Short and her people will be driven too extinction by such a ruthless organisation like Itex, who don't care who or what they kill or destroy to get what they want.'

I blinked in surprise. 'Fairies actually _exist_?' I asked stunned.

'Don't tell _anyone_, it is the most well guarded secret in the world, the mainstay of humanity has _no _idea, only four humans on the planet are aware of the fact, Butler and myself chief among them; if the mainstream of humanity got wind of this, the fairy folk would be wiped out, either through war, or destruction of their environment, and refuge.'

I stared at the floor for a moment.

'How could a bunch of fairies help? Wave their magic wands and turn the Sinovirus into lavender oil or something?' I asked with a grim chuckle.

'Nope, find Walker, destroy the Sinovirus, then mind-wipe anyone human that might sell us out too preserve the secret.' Said Short in my ear.

Acting casual, and not like I'd nearly had a heart-attack,-It had taken every ounce of my self-control _not_ too jump- I turned around pretending too stretch, and saw only a shimmer.

'You have three seconds too tell me where the hell you are, and why the hell I can't see you.' I hissed in irritation.'

Silence.

'Fowl, answers.' I said in a deceptively calm voice.

'Captain Short, and indeed, most fairies, can vibrate faster then the human eye can follow, rendering them invisible, that, coupled with their superior technology, means that the only way too find a fairy equipped with this technology, is accidentally hit one with a thrown object, and if you did, you'd only receive an invisible smack in the ear for your trouble.' Explained Artemis.

Just then, the seven-year-old girl who was with Max's flock came over.

'What are you three up too?' She asked sweetly.

'Can't you count? There's only two of us.' I said in an irritated tone, but I was thinking _'Aw Crap!'_

Meanwhile, up in the conference room, the mood was grim.

'Those raids, were nothing short of failures,' said Vance in a deceptively calm voice.

'We didn't nail Walker, we didn't find any Sinovirus, hell, the only things that really came out of that mess, was the realisation that we were set up.' Continued Vance, casting a look over all assembled.

'It wasn't me, or any of my people Director.' Said Schofield levelly, 'we were supposed to protect Kevin, and there's no way, no _way, _that we'd betray him, the president or this country.'

'Gibbs? Your radar been tripped recently.' Asked Vance calmly.

Gibbs cast a look over McGee, Ziva and DiNnozzo.

'Well it wasn't me,' said Gibbs shortly.

'Boss, you can't seriously think we'd sell NCIS out too these power-hungry bastards.' Said DiNnozzo aggrieved.

'It wasn't me.' Said Ziva smoothly and unconcerned, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair.

'McGee?' Asked Vance calmly, looking closely at the young agent.

'Never. I'd never sell you, Gibbs, this agency, or this country out.' Said McGee shaking his head emphatically.

'Blackmail.' Said Book II leaning forward, 'these guys could've blackmailed any one of you into informing on NCIS movements.' Said Book II glancing at all assembled. 'They could've kidnapped one of your family members and threatened to kill them if you didn't help them.' Explained Book II.

'After agent Lee was blackmailed into trying to get Domino, we took steps too make sure that that wouldn't happen again.' Replied Vance shaking his head at the notion.

'A good theory, but it couldn't eventuate, all agents are required to submit too searches of phone-logs, e-mail accounts, mail, smoke-signals, cups and string, hell, _any_ means of communication, too find any attempts at blackmail.' Explained Gibbs banging his fist down for emphasis.

'That leaves about twenty-odd variables,' said Vance, motioning too the floor, or more accurately, the basement where the Flock, the Raptors, Artemis, Butler and Ducky were.

'Couldn't have been Duck.' Said Gibbs shaking his head.

'Couldn't have been Abby either, Ducky was in autopsy, doing paper-work, and Abby was running forensics in her lab, so it couldn't have been her.'

'Who're the other eighteen?' Asked Libby in confusion.

'Fowl, Fowl's bodyguard, the Flock, the Raptors, Alexa, Kort, the CIA agent who skipped out, that Batchelder character, and me, but it couldn't have been me either.' Replied Vance.

There was a knock at the door.

Gibbs opened it, and Alexa, Butler and Artemis came in.

'What can we do for you?' Asked Vance calmly.

Artemis took a deep breath. 'We think we might've figured out how Itex knew we were coming.' Said Artemis.

**Sorry I haven't up-dated for a while, I've run into a bit of the dreaded Writers Block.**

**Well, hit the little blue button below and review please, thanks.**

**I'll see what I can do about chapter eighteen, but you'll have too wait.**

**I got NCIS LA series 1 last week, and I'm going to watch that first.**

**The next chapter will be in LA, but I need too get Callen's Kensi's and Sam's characters right first.**

'**til next time.**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Prison Break Los Angeles

**Disclaimer: See Chapter Thirteen**

**Chapter Soundtrack: No Crew is Superior (LL Cool J) (NCIS Los Angeles series 1 DVD 1 music video.)**

Special Agent G Callen and Special Agent Sam Hannah sat in the black Sedan and stared at the Itex complex just outside Los Angeles.

'What do you think it'd take to storm this place Sam?' Asked Callen, not taking his eyes off the large square, grey painted buildings.

'Same as it would've taken too storm that drug lord's place: A small army and a month's worth of planning.' Replied Sam.

'How 'bout an ex-SEAL, a hacker, a bad-ass special agent and an old Force Recon Marine buddy we worked with a couple of years back when were rooting out the ICG?' Asked Callen turning to Sam with a look in his eye.

'Don't give me that look G, every time you give me that look, it's the start of a near suicidal op.' Said Sam dead-pan, still surveying the yard surrounding the facility, with a practiced eye.

'Not much else we can learn that we didn't already know, let's go back to the ops centre and cook up a plan.' Said Sam, keying the ignition, and turning the car around.

'I'll give Hawk a call then.' Said Callen, pulling out his cellphone.

When the sedan pulled up at the ops centre, another black sedan was already parked there.

And leaning against the bonnet was a man dressed in full Recon Marine gear.

When Callen and Sam were out of the car, the soldier snapped a crisp salute.

'Andrew X. Trent, I heard you made Captain,' said Callen stepping forward and offering a hand, 'congratulations.' He said as Trent shook vigorously.

'I owe it all to the Scarecrow, Agent Callen.' Replied Trent with a grin.

The trio entered the NCIS Los Angeles Office of Special Projects ops centre.

'Ah, Mr. Callen, Sam, I see you've invited Captain Trent, to join our operation.' Said Henrietta 'Hetty' Lange.

She was only waist height too the three men, but they stopped dead as she approached them.

'Well done on the promotion Mr. Trent,' said Hetty as an aside, 'now, all of you, upstairs, we'd better draw this plan up fast, and put it into action, before Itex realises what we're doing.'

With that, Hetty flanked by Sam, Callen and Captain Trent, walked up the stairs into the ops centre.

The ops centre, was as it's name suggested, the nerve centre of NCIS covert ops in and around Los Angeles.

As such, it was jam packed with high-tech, and simply amazing gizmos and gadgets.

However, it was around the main wall plasma screen that special Agents Callen, Sam, Kensi Bligh, Captain Trent, operational psychologist Nate Getz, and resident tech-head Eric Beal were sitting and standing around.

On screen were the blueprints for Itex's Los Angeles branch.

'So how do we knock this place over?' Asked Trent folding his arms as he examined the blueprints.

'Our point of entrance,' said Sam, as he called up a satellite view of the facility, 'will be through this electrified, chain-link fence.' Sam zoomed in on the fence in question, which backed onto woodland.

'So we'll be taking bolt-cutters?' Asked Kensi, making a note on a notepad on a small table in the middle of the table.

'Right,' agreed Sam distractedly.

What about surveillance cameras and all that jazz? These guys see us coming, and we'll all be vomiting up our own liquefied vital organs.' Asked Trent.

Eric made a "That was disgusting" face. 'I'm going to crash their entire network, and make sure that the only way they'll be able to purge the virus will be to completely wipe every hard-drive, I requisitioned this virus from the NSA's computer crime taskforce, it's got a feature called "sticky contagion", which means that if they send any e-mail to any other network with this virus, it'll infect that network as well, meaning that unless they purge _everything,_ their system is just going to keep crashing every time they do something.' Said Eric, grinning like a young boy with a new toy.

'That'll piss these bastards off no-end.' Said Trent, smiling with satisfaction, 'so how do we get into the base proper?' He asked, reassuming his stony exterior.

'We kick in the main door, then head for the first door with 'staff only', or 'restricted access only', then kick that in, hey presto we're in.' Said Callen, tracing the route with his finger.

'Then what?' Asked Trent.

'Then, we trash every room in that place until we find this Kevin kid, C4 any store of Sinovirus, shoot anyone who gets in our way, then blow the place to hell on our exit, extraction will be in the form of a Super Stallion transport chopper.' Said Sam, also surveying the plans.

A computer beeped; Eric checked what had happened.

'MTAC feed coming in from DC.' Reported Eric, as he punched up the feed onto the main monitor.

The screen snowed over for a second, then the conference room in DC came into view.

Around the main table sat, Vance, Gibbs, Ziva, Schofield, McGee, Mother, Libby, Tony Book II, Artemis Fowl, and two young women that Callen didn't know.

_What the hell are a pair of teenage girls doing there, and who the hell are they, and what the hell is Artemis Fowl have to do with this whole affair?_ Callen asked himself.

Then Callen recognised the girl with sun-streaked brown hair.

Like most of Los Angeles, Callen had gone to see the CSM's 'air show' when it had come to LA: the first girl was Maximum Ride.

_If she's involved, and this is anything like that business in Hawaii, then we're in serious shit._ Thought Callen.

'_Agent Callen, I hope you've got at least a plan on how to storm these bastards.'_ Said Vance.

'We've got a plan, and, best case scenario, we'll get the kid back, and crash Itex's global network in the process.' Said Callen confidently.

'_Good to here Agent Callen, but I've got a secondary objective for you after you've got the kid,' _said Vance all business._ 'After you've got young Kevin back, and planted charges on any Sinovirus stores, you're to locate and release all the experiments you can find.' _Said Vance calmly.

Maximum Ride and the black haired girl Callen didn't know exchanged looks.

'How will we recognise these experiments?' Asked Trent calmly.

'_Good to see you over there Hawk,' _Said Schofield, _'and congratulations on making Captain.'_

'All thanks to you Scarecrow.' Acknowledged Trent with a nod to his old friend.

Vance cleared his throat as the black haired girl stood.

'_Agent Callen I'd like you too meet Alexa Angelos, she's a hybrid like Maximum Ride here.' _Said Vance indicating the black haired girl, then Maximum.

Alexa crossed her arms.

'_In answer to your question Hawk, those "experiments", are kids who've been genetically modified, and not all of us have wings either, so just look for any kids that are locked in dog crates.' _Said Alexa in a peculiar tone.

'What in god's name have we got ourselves into?' Asked Trent quietly shaking his head.

'Thanks for that Alexa, we'll keep that in mind.' Said Callen professionally, even though he himself was disgusted by the concept of the sort of brutality that Itex was capable of.

_It makes the foster homes I've been in seem like paradise._ Thought Callen disgustedly.

Vance made a cutting motion across his throat, and the feed cut.

'That girl, Alexa, she wasn't kidding about anything she just said, and, judging from her body language, I'd guess she's had first hand experience, and she seemed so scared and awkward, I'd say she only got out a day or two ago.' Observed Nate.

'You think any of these other hybrids in the Itex facility we're about to storm could be the same?' Asked Sam.

'Worse, I'd imagine, they'll probably have no respect for adults, they'll probably be scared of you, and no doubt they'll have been through absolute hell, so they'll be emotionally and psychologically scarred, the only way you'd be able to get some one that messed up to trust you, would be to really show you meant what you said.'

'So they'll be even more fucked up versions of Callen?' Asked Sam jokingly, but the question was serious.

'That'd be about right.' Confirmed Nate sadly.

'Then let's hit 'em.' Said Callen, chambering a round into his glock-12.

**Sorry for not updating for a while, I've been a bit busy.**

**But, I'm going on a school trip to the Northern Territory (The top middle of Australia for anyone who doesn't know) for ten days, so I figured I should finish this off and post it to keep everyone happy.**

**On another note I've also updated the spin-off of this, **_**Rulers of the Skies, **_**so check it out as well.**

**Enjoy!**

**Oh yeah, read and review as well, I'll be expecting a few more reviews in my inbox when I get back.**

**No Chapter Nineteen otherwise!**

**You've been given due warning.**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen

Infiltration

**Disclaimer: See Chapter Thirteen**

**Author's Note: For anyone who doesn't know: the Scarecrow and Jack West jr. series are linked, so, I'm going to have to include **_**Seven Ancient Wonders, **_**and it's sequels at some point.**

**(Actually, I'm going to do a sequel when I'm done with this, a very nasty catch-22 scenario…)**

**So, all I have to say is: Watch this space…**

**Chapter Soundtrack: Savin' Me (Nickelback)**

Callen, Sam, Trent and Kensi parked their car a discreet distance from the lab, then proceeded into the woodlands that bordered the facility.

Sam carried his M16 from his SEAL days, and seemed to have taken a new lease on life, dressed as he was in full combat gear.

Trent advanced with his MP-10 at the ready.

Kensi and Callen also advanced, also in full combat gear, and wielding special forces gear just like Trent and Sam.

They reached the fence, and Sam and Trent covered Callen as he took a pair of bolt cutters to the fence.

The fence sparked angrily as Callen cut through the fence, but the rubber grips on the bolt cutters ensured he was safe from the thousand-odd volts of electricity coursing through the fence.

'We're in,' said Callen, tossing the bolt cutters aside as he climbed through the hole in the fence, closely followed by Kensi, Sam and Trent.

The four of them proceeded stealthily across the manicured lawn surrounding the buildings, Callen noting with some amusement, a "Keep Off The Grass" sign hammered into the lawn near the main entrance.

Avoiding the external cameras, they soon reached the side of the building, underneath a security camera.

'Maghook.' Said Callen, extending a hand.

Wordlessly, Trent handed his Maghook to Callen.

'Thank you Hawk,' said Callen, as he fired the grapple just off to the right of the security camera.

The grappling hook gained purchase on the bars over a window, and Callen reeled himself up.

When Callen came level with the camera, he quickly attached his mobile phone to a wire-tap, and lanced the camera's cable, and uploaded the virus Eric had given to him.

About a minute later, the camera sparked and died.

Job done, Callen lowered himself back too the ground.

'Let's go, cameras are out.' Said Callen, drawing his gun, and striding towards the main entrance, closely followed by Kensi, Trent and Sam.

When they reached the main entrance, Callen took a quick glance through the glass, and noted a slightly over weight security guard, drinking a cup of coffee, and reading a copy of _Play Boy _magazine.

'Night guard is not company security, looks like he's just a token gesture, to make this place inconspicuous, he's no threat.' Said Callen.

'We'll go another way, he'll probably call the real security if he sees us.' Said Sam.

'Through the window it is then.' Said Trent drawing his Maghook.

When they got back to the barred window Callen had used as an anchor point, Trent activated his Maghook's magnetic head and attached a breaching charge to it, setting the timer too ten seconds, before fining it at the window, and in a brilliant shot, hooking the charge over the bars.

Trent demagnetised the Maghook's head, and let the breaching charge land against the window, before retracting the Maghook's cable.

Five seconds later, the charge went off, blowing the window in, and the bars clean out of their housings.

'Real subtle Hawk.' Said Sam sarcastically.

'If we had've unscrewed the bars, we would've been here all goddamn night.' Replied Trent, deploying his Maghook's grapples and fining his Maghook through the recently made hole in the wall.

Trent reeled in his Maghook until the cable went taught.

Giving the grapple a few hard tugs, Trent nodded, satisfied that the line was secure, before beginning to scale it.

Two minutes later, Kensi landed lightly in what looked like a hospital ward, albeit a hospital ward strewn with brick fragments, dust and glass shards. It was also deserted.

'Must be sound proofed, or we'd have private security guards spraying this place right now.' Said Sam, advancing to the door.

'Hawk,' called Sam, as he stood beside the handle.

Trent wordlessly covered the door with his MP-10.

Sam threw the door open.

Trent had his finger on the trigger as the door swung open, and was startled to be confronted by the backs of two private security guards.

The guards spun around as the door slammed into the wall with enough force to dent the wall.

They reacted, a split second slower than Sam and Callen.

Sam punched the first guard in the face with a fist the approximate size of a brick.

The guard collapsed in a heap, out cold, with a broken nose.

Callen grabbed the second guard's hand as he drew his gun, before Callen slammed the door on his hand, causing the guard to grunt in pain and drop the gun.

Callen opened the door, yanking the guard forward, just as Trent laid into it with his combat boot, slamming the door into the guard's forehead, knocking him out instantly, and guaranteeing him a concussion, as well as a headache that'd put a hangover to shame.

'Do you think anyone will notice?' Asked Trent, when he examined the inch deep dent the second guard's head had left in the door.

'They might, but maybe they'll hang a picture or poster over it.' Joked Sam, before he caught Callen's look. 'Sorry, no offence G.' Said Sam, remembering that Callen had grown up in foster homes, and had played unwilling witness to several abusive relationships.

Trent retrieved his Maghook, while Sam, Callen and Kensi hid the unconscious guards under the beds.

'This is pretty _James Bond_ you know.' Commented Trent as he joined the others by the door.

'Clandestine missions, evil scientists, world domination bid, hot babe, the only thing missing is a car chase.'

Kensi shot a dark look at Trent.

'We are going to have a talk about that later, Hawk.' Said Kensi levelly.

'What ever you say Kensi.' Said Trent, completely unconcerned.

The three agents and the marine proceeded into the hall, guns up.

+'_Hang a right at the corner, then a left at the first junction after that.'+_ Directed Beal from back at the ops centre, +_'That should take you to one of the observation rooms where they keep the recombinants.'+_

'Thanks for that Eric.' Said Callen as Sam crouched down at the corner and peered around the corner, before giving a thumbs-up.

The group rounded the bend and moved rapidly to the first junction, where this time, Hawk peered round the corner, and made a '_stay low_' signal.

Immediately, the group dropped into a crouch and rounded the bend stopping at the door at the far end of the passage.

Hawk unclipped a miniature periscope from his combat webbing, and used it to suss out the room beyond.

'Looks clear for now.' He whispered, 'but there's an assload of large cages in there, and I saw a kid of about ten clutching the bars of the cage she was locked in, and watching the door.' Warned Trent.

'I'm done with this sneakin' around shit anyway.' Said Sam flicking the safety off his M16.

'Hold it Sam, if anyone's going to make some noise, it's gonna be me.' Replied Callen.

'Just don't get caught.' Admonished Kensi.

Trent kicked the door, then all hell broke loose.

**I know it's a short one, but I really want to get back to the action in DC.**

**Besides, a chapter or two in DC'll build the suspense in LA.**

**Also, I'm thinking of breaking away from the stereotype and have Itex win, albeit a pyrrhic victory.**

**Also if you haven't read my footnote in **_**Rulers of the Skies,**_** I enjoyed my holiday in the Top End, and I believe that it'll be a help with my writing. (Seriously, some of the views, scenery and sights up there, pictures do NOT do them justice.)**

**Until next time, review after reading.**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter Twenty

Counter-attack

**Disclaimer: See Chapter Thirteen**

**Chapter Soundtrack: Follow You Home (Nickelback)**

Vance looked at Artemis and me with a deadly serious look on his face.

'How can these guys know what we're doing?' Asked Vance with narrowed eyes.

Artemis stepped forward.

'It was Maximum Ride who gave us the idea, or more accurately, her young friend Angel, when she was telling us what they'd all gone through recently.' He explained.

'Go on,' said Vance, leaning back in his chair and propping his foot on his knee.

'Several years before the flock originally escaped from the School, the scientists there implanted a tracer\observer chip in her arm, so they could gather data on her abilities,' began Artemis.

Vance sat straighter in his chair and everyone leaned in, paying rapt attention.

'I believe, that the scientists may have chipped Alexa here, or Angel, or anyone of the Raptors, with a similar device.' Said Artemis.

Everyone around the table looked grim.

'Wait a second,' said Gibbs, frowning, 'if all these chips do is gather data and transmit a location, how did Itex know to clear out before we arrived?' He asked in confusion.

'Tracer chip technology has gotten much better n the past decade,' said Artemis unruffled, 'I suspect that they may graft biometric chips to the brains of their subjects\victims these days, and as Itex is undisputedly good at constructing biometrics, it wouldn't be too hard to imagine that they'd be able to make these chips capable of tapping into their host's senses.' Said Artemis, 'of course, it could be Gunnery Sergeant Newman's leg, which if I'm not mistaken contains a highly advanced biometric micro-computer, or a chip could've been planted on Captain Schofield's brain while his eyes were being repaired after that business in Bosnia, it's entirely possible, considering how a rogue USAF general managed too implant a similar device in the current US president's heart.' Suggested Artemis.

Schofield reflexively touched his silver anti-flash sunglasses. 'How could you possibly know about that?' Asked Schofield suspiciously.

Artemis gave one of his vampire smiles and flashed his phone. 'This thing is my own design, there aren't many computers or networks on the planet I can't hack with this,' said Artemis smoothly.

'Moving on, what do we do about it?' Cut in Ziva, before either Schofield or Vance could ask about the inevitable patent rights.

'We get a bug sweeper, scan everyone here, if the sweeper detects a signal that shouldn't be where it is, we EMP the signal, and if that doesn't work, we take it out manually.' Said Artemis simply.

When I heard this I instantly tensed, and began to breath faster.

'Did I forget to mention that us bird-kids _hate_ hospitals and the like?' I asked in mock confusion.

'You've said so on several occasions.' Said Gibbs calmly.

'Yeah, well there's a _reason _for that.' I said shortly, the banter was helping steel my nerves.

'We have to do this Alexa, whether you like it or-'

_CRASH!_

The window behind Vance exploded inward, showering us all in glass, then four zip-lines fell past the window, and three lithe robots, like the ones we'd fought at the lab, shortly before we'd _blown it back_ _to hell_, jumped in, toting Uzis and skorpion machine pistols.

I reacted first, it was to late to go for a gun, these ninja-bot things would fire before I could draw, so I went straight on the offensive.

I conjured a ribbon of fire in front of their eyes\optic sensors, blinding them, and used the distraction to close in, where I put my fist through one 'bot's neck, decapitating it, blasted another with a roiling sheet of fire and then grabbing the third one by the arm and throwing it out the window.

_WAKE UP EVERYONE, WE'RE UNDER ATTACK! _I mentally bellowed, loud enough for even everyone in the basement to hear.

Max burst in from the waiting room outside, she'd been waiting there ever since we'd got off the line with the LA team.

_NO SHIT SHERLOCK, THEY'RE DOWN HERE TOO! _Bellowed Jeffrey in reply.

With the initial assault blunted, Vance took cover and drew his side-arm, Artemis ducked for cover, and the rest of us drew our weapons.

Ziva and Fox also covered the door.

Another 'bot came down the zip-line, but for some reason, all it had was a white flag and a briefcase.

We all paid careful attention as the 'bot placed the briefcase on the table, popped the locks, and opened it, before scurrying too the window and back up the zip-line like a spider.

The case was actually a laptop computer with a web-cam.

On screen, was the face of a person I wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over seeing die in a painful and gruesome fashion, like being hit by a freight train.

Director Anne Walker.

Meanwhile, down in the basement, it was a whole different ball game/

Quick as a striking snake, Jeffrey ducked out of cover and mowed down an elevator load of combat robots, similar to the ones that had harassed them with the helicopter, before ducking back into cover in time to avoid a hail of return fire.

'Fire in the hole!' Shouted the eight-year-old pyromaniac, Gasman who tagged along with Max, as he threw a grenade with a wad of C4 meshed around it.

Everyone hunkered down and a couple of seconds later, a colossal explosion ripped through the combat bots, the ones that weren't knocked out of commission, were damaged so badly that they were useless.

'Move in, I want a kill zone set up on that elevator door!' Bellowed Jeffrey, as he ducked out of cover and knocked a filing-cabinet on it's side to provide cover.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened again and another mob of combat bots piled out, only to be mowed down in an overwhelming hail of bullets from at least fourteen different weapons.

'Wolf! Conrad! With me, we're going to clear out the hall and make a hole so we can get up to the conference room before they get everyone up there!' Shouted Jeffrey.

_WAKE UP EVERYONE, WE'RE UNDER ATTACK! _Bellowed Alexa mentally.

'To late.' Muttered Conrad.

_NO SHIT SHERLOCK, THEY'RE DOWN HERE AS WELL! _Bellowed Jeffrey in reply, as he entered the elevator with Wolf and Conrad, who'd loaded his shotgun with buck-shot instead of his standard deer-slugs.

Wolf had forgone his M9s for his hand-and-a-half sword.

'Let's go and get these brainless, rust-bucket fuckers.' Growled Wolf, his eyes glowing gold, his nails distended to talons his jaw distended slightly, and his canines were like fangs, the Eraser side of his genetic structure was winning through.

Or more accurately, Wolf was letting it out to lend his close-combat skills a boost of animal savagery.

The elevator ascended and dinged on the next floor: Abby's lab.

'Oh, sweet Jesus, they haven't…' Conrad let it hang as he brought his shotgun to his shoulder.

Wolf gripped his sword with both hands a snarl on his face, rendered even more shocking by the matted blonde hair that framed his wild face, he'd gained bulk as well, his muscles taking on more definition, and his wings had enlarged as well.

Jeffrey switched his armament, opting for his sword and a .45 calibre Desert Eagle.

The doors opened as the elevator dinged, and revealed yet another group of combat 'bots garbed in black combat webbing and masks, their green diode eyes glowing ominously, and they all carried MP-5s rendering them even more intimidating.

They were standing in ranks of five, which were five deep.

When the doors opened, Conrad pumped the trigger of his Remington twelve gauge shotgun, and had the satisfaction of seeing the front rank fall in gouts of blood.

He managed a second shot before he too switched weapons and joined Jeffrey and Wolf.

Wolf howled savagely, and hurled himself into the ranked-up combat 'bots hacking, slashing, stabbing and chopping, feeling hot sprays of blood and slick sprays of grease spurting all over him as he rampaged through them, scarcely aware of Jeffrey by his side.

Wolf howled again, and bit into the neck of one of the bots, feeling flesh part around the mechanical tendons, and blood and grease in his mouth.

Wolf spat the foul mixture into the face of his next opponent, and then laid a high-kick into it's head, causing it to explode in a gout of blood.

Wolf looked around for anymore foes, then lowered his bloody blade as he saw Jeffrey put a bullet through the last 'bot's head.

Jeffrey was hot on the heels of Wolf's rampage, shooting 'bots that were out of his sword reach, pistol-whipping ones that he couldn't get with his sword, and scything through the 'bots that Wolf missed, and leaving Conrad to mop up.

Jeffrey stopped as he was confronted by three of the robots wielding K-bar 9 combat knives.

He shot one in the face point-blanc, punched one that rushed him in the throat before he cut through it's neck with his second blow that decapitated it with the blade close to his sword's hilt.

The last one was carved from groin to chest by an underhand slash by Jeffrey.

As Jeffrey pulled his sword free he was attacked from behind by one of the 'bots.

In response, Jeffrey bent forward, dropped his sword, swung caught his attacker's arm, slammed it into the floor, by rolling it over his shoulder, then shot it between the eyes.

Jeffrey looked up and scanned the area, and all he saw was Wolf, spattered from head to toe with gore, with a bloody sword in his hand looking at Jeffrey with a look of respect.

'Jeffrey, I don't think I've ever told you, but you're one cold motherfucker.' Said Wolf evenly.

Jeffrey just regarded Wolf calmly. 'Let's just see if Abby's alright.' Said Jeffrey calmly.

'Not that cold Wolf.' Cracked Conrad with a grin.

Wolf snorted. 'Now is not the time Australian.' He said, following Jeffrey.

'That hurt Wolf.' Said Conrad offended, as he too, followed Jeffrey through the shattered door into Abby's lab.

Anne Walker had a look of cold indifference on her face.

'Well, if it isn't the famous Leroy-Jethro Gibbs and his team of loyal special agents.' She said coldly, 'and what's this? The famous Captain Schofield and his marines? Artemis Fowl? And if it isn't Maximum Ride.' She said in a tone like we were all old friends.

'What do you want you demented bitch?' I asked coldly.

'Watch your language young lady, I thought I taught you better than that.' Said Walker sternly.

'Cut the crap Walker, what the hell is this about?' I retorted snarling.

Max gave me an approving look.

_That's one of the best pissed off snarls I've ever seen_. Max thought at me with approval.

I silently accepted the compliment.

Walker tutted. 'You really should be more polite.' She said disapprovingly.

'What the hell do you want?' Demanded Gibbs angrily.

Walker switched her gaze to Gibbs.

'I want to see you all burn, for destroying that laboratory, and I want too confirm the destruction of the biggest threat to our plan, then show the president of the US, that his efforts to thwart us were a waste of time.' Answered Walker derisively.

'Why are you doing this?' I asked in confusion, 'the world has it's issues, but it's getting to where it should be, why do you want to destroy it?'

Anne Walker regarded me with a look of superiority. 'If that's what your opinion of the world is, you'll never understand.' She said shaking her head.

'I agree with Alexa, but try me.' Said Artemis smoothly from between Gibbs and Max.

'Very well, Itex doesn't seek to rule the world, we seek to redefine it, to destroy the more backwards elements of humanity and move forward, at present, science and progress are being strangled by politics, bureaucracy, money-making bids, needless war, naïve do-gooder greenpeace protesters, and a society that doesn't _get_ that the only way things will get better is if the world is united, with a single purpose, and that's what Itex is trying to achieve: A unified world, where humanity will be able to move forward, where petty differences between countries won't grind progress for humankind to a near standstill.' Explained Walker with some passion.

'So basically, you want to wipe out everything and everyone who gets in your way for the greater good of humanity?' Clarified Schofield in a tone of deepest disgust, 'You're even worse than that son of a bitch Caesar Russel!' He said revolted.

'Say what you will, it won't matter in a couple of minutes.' Said Walker calmly checking her watch.

'My combat robots have set Thermite-Amatol charges at strategic points around the building you are currently in and are watching all avenues of escape, in five minutes, you'll all be dead.' Said Walker, shortly before we all shot the laptop, rendering it useless.

'Alexa, I'd tell everyone to meet us on the roof.' Said Vance calmly, as he climbed to his feet, and we all rapidly exited the conference room and headed for the elevator.

'Already on it.' I said levelly, as I relayed the message, before zeroing in on Jeffrey's mind.

_Jeffrey, get everyone down there and meet us on the roof. _I sent telepathically to him, along with the conversation we'd just had with Walker.

_Holy shit, we'll be right up!_ Replied Jeffrey, and I felt him hustling everyone up the stairs as Schofield and Gibbs forced the elevator doors open.

**See why I wanted to get back to the action in DC?**

**I won't apologise for the cliff-hanger, I don't get enough opportunities to practice them, and when you're doing a story that involves **_**Matthew Reilly**_** characters, you **_**have **_**to have at least one **_**good, solid**_** cliff-hanger.**

**And what better part to drop a cliff-hanger?**

**You can tell me what a complete and utter bastard I am in your review, and you'd better review, I'd like at least twenty before I resolve this cliff-hanger, and sixteen before I put up the next chapter.**

**Yes, I am that much of an utter bastard that I'll ransom you like this.**

**And to the one person who's reviewed consistently and faithfully on this story, Agentnerd: I'm sorry, but after seeing that you're the only person reviewing out of roughly fifteen people reading this consistently, I felt I had to take drastic action.**

**I've been pushed to this extreme.**

**Until I get sixteen or more reviews: Goodbye.**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter Twenty-one

Poetic Payback

**Disclaimer: See Chapter Thirteen.**

**IMPORTANT!: READ THE CHAPTER NOTE DOWN THE BOTTOM.**

**Chapter Soundtrack: Peacemaker (Greenday)**

When Trent kicked the door in, five lithe, black clad figures with green, laser-like eyes, rose out from among the crates, and let loose with a god-almighty storm of sustained machine-gun fire, which narrowly missed Trent, although a stray bullet clipped him in the shoulder, but the wound was minor, and of little consequence.

Trent hit the deck, and made for the cover of the closest crate.

Sam leaned around the door, to get a better look and narrowly avoided having a third hole put through his nose.

Sam drew back and glued his back too the door, before sticking his gun over his head, through the shattered window, and strafed the room with blind fire.

Although he couldn't see it, his spray of bullets scythed down all five robots at waist height.

Sam sprayed until the gun clicked empty.

'Holy fuck Sam, where did you learn to shoot like that?' Exclaimed Trent as he looked up to see why the robots had stopped shooting, and saw them sprawled across the roofs of crates.

Sam peered through the shattered window. 'Lucky shot Cap', I was just trying to get them to duck.' Replied Sam neutrally.

'We've been set up, if we had've gone in all guns blazing, we'd be dead right now.' Said Kensi.

'Who'd-?' Callen broke off as his phone rang.

He flicked it open. 'Yeah?' Asked Callen, he listened for a few moments.

'Shit, is everyone all right!' Asked Callen in alarm.

'That's good…-compromised! How!' Asked Callen in shock.

'Oh…shit, what do we do now?' Asked Callen in a voice that sounded to Sam like he'd just realised he was standing on a landmine.

'Thank you director, we'll even the playing field on this end, don't you worry.' Now Callen sounded majorly pissed off.

Callen snapped the phone shut.

'What was that about?' Asked Kensi, as they entered the observation lab.

'Itex just blew NCIS headquarters in DC to hell, luckily, everyone got out alive, but it seems that Itex micro-chipped someone with a device that allows them to eavesdrop and spy on that persons vicinity; someone who's in on this investigation.' Said Callen ominously.

'So we were set up?' Asked Trent as he climbed too his feet.

Callen shook his head. 'Nope, we got made, this whole goddamn lab is probably a death-trap.' Said Callen bitterly.

'Who you lookin' for?' Asked the girl in the crate.

Callen and the others looked at each other, they'd assumed the girl couldn't understand what was going on.

Callen unlatched her crate, and opened the door, before squatting down to the girl's level.

The girl all but glued herself too the back of the crate, with a look of fear on her face.

'Easy, I'm not going to hurt you.' Said Callen gently, backing up a bit.

The girl didn't move.

'We're looking for a boy by the name of Kevin, you haven't seen or heard anything have you?' Asked Kensi, equally as gently, from beside Callen as she came down beside him.

The girl remained mute.

Oddly, it was Sam,-who could've passed for the African-American version of Superman,- who solved the problem.

'G, come on, you're scarin' the kid, we'll start freein' people after we've got Kevin, and gotten him clear of this Frankenstein-freak-fest.' Said Sam, looking around for more targets, and even checking the ceiling to be safe.

Callen backed off, taking Sam's advice, and following Sam's lead, looking around for any other hostiles.

Kensi backed off as well, as Sam came down to the girl's level.

He was the most physically intimidating of the group: A solid slab of muscle, in full blacked out combat gear, with a M16 in hand, various devices, most of them probably grenades, in his combat webbing, and hard eyes.

The girl locked eyes with Sam when he came down to her level, and his eyes softened slightly.

'C'mon outta there kid, G won't bite, besides, kids like you don't belong in cages.' Said Sam in a gruff, friendly voice, extending a hand, which the girl accepted hesitantly as she climbed out.

''Attagirl,' said Sam gently as the girl stood up.

The girl noticed Trent scanning the doors and took an involuntary step backwards.

'Easy kid, Captain Trent won't hurt you either, you haven't seen a blonde haired boy brought through here have you?' Asked Sam gently.

'Yeah, they put him in a observation room through the next room on the left.' Said the girl holding out her left arm.

Sam nodded. 'Thank you for that-I didn't catch your name?.' Said Sam leaning forward slightly.

'Wren! What are you doing-?' The whitecoat's question became a strangled cry as Callen shot him.

Callen walked over as the whitecoat coughed up a globule of blood.

'Where are you keeping the Sinovirus cure?' Asked Callen kneeling next too the whitecoat.

The whitecoat hacked up another blood globule.

'Through…through the next room, then the first…first observation room on the left.' Gasped the whitecoat, then his breathing failed.

Callen walked away from the corpse.

'That's confirmed. Go get the boy Sam, I'm going hunting.' Said Callen pulling the slide on his gun and striding towards the west wall where a computer lab was visible through the glass.

The group split up.

Sam stayed behind to wire the lab with Thermite-Amatol demolition charges.

They had been planning to just use C4 on the Sinovirus supply, but after hearing about the attack on the Navy Yard, Sam decided to deliver some poetic justice.

Trent, Kensi, and the young girl Wren,-who confirmed she had wings, and even showed them the beautiful glossy-black feathered, pinions, with their sky-blue primaries.

Callen, when asked over the radio what he was after, had said he was hunting for hard-copied files.

When he was done wiring the last charge to a remote detonator, he keyed his ear-piece.

'Hawk? How ya doin' on the rescue?' Sam asked.

+'Just fuckin' grand Sea-Lion, we've got a goddamn wolf guarding the kid-he's armed- watching the door.'+ Said Trent annoyed. +'If we go charging in there, fang-face'll probably kill the kid, and I'm not sure if there are any more of those ninja-things around.'+

'What's this I hear 'bout someone needing a hand?' Enquired a youthful voice from behind Sam.

Sam whipped around, gun up.

'Down here, let me out and I'll lend ya a hand.' Said the voice from the crate nearest Sam.

Sam looked down and beheld a boy with wild, thick grey hair, golden eyes, and extended canines.

'An Eraser?' Asked Sam in confusion. 'I thought you guys were the enemy?'

The Eraser shrugged.

'I'm a couple-a steps up from Frank and the rest of the Erasers, but seeings as I've got some empathy to me, the genetics dropouts decided to cage me.' Explained the young Eraser calmly, with a shrug.

Sam hesitated for a second, then popped the lock on the Eraser's crate.

The Eraser crawled out and stood up. He was as tall as Sam but wasn't nearly as bulky.

'Where's your trouble?' 'I'll deal with it, then be on my way.' Said the Eraser.

'The first room past the next room through those doors,'-Sam indicated the doors,- 'on the left, get in, deal with the guard, then open the door.' Sam said as they walked to an air vent.

'Gimme a boost would ya?' Asked the Eraser as Sam stood on the roof of a crate that contained a dead mutant with it's intestines on the outside of it's body.

Sam ignored it and focused on ripping the vent cover out of the ceiling, which he did with one economical yank.

Sam cupped his hands, and the Eraser jumped onto them, and Sam boosted the Eraser into the vent, which sagged slightly but held.

'Thanks for that.' Said the Eraser cheerily, then set off for the observation room where Kevin was being held.

+'Hawk, we've got a mutinying Eraser about to do a number on the guard and get you through the door, stand-by.'+ Said Sam over the radio.

'Roger Sea-Lion.' Replied Trent, and he edged towards the door, tightening his finger on the trigger.

A crash sounded from the other side of the door, followed by an agonised scream, which became a horrified gurgle.

Trent couldn't help himself.

He used his periscope to peek through the glass-

And beheld a horrific scene: The young Eraser was twitching in agony, blood pouring from his mouth.

He struggled to his feet, then tried-vainly-to attack the Eraser grinning maliciously at him.

The young Eraser made a weak strike at the older Eraser's throat with a taloned paw, but the older Eraser simply side-stepped the pathetic blow, and let the younger Eraser topple too the floor.

The older Eraser kicked the younger one onto his back, then drew a skorpion machine pistol, sighted briefly, and shot the younger Eraser in the head.

Trent quickly ducked back down.

'Fuck me sideways…' Swore Trent horrified.

He'd seen some horrific things on the battlefield, sat through Hollywood horror films without so much as twitching; But that incident took the cake.

Trent switched his radio to the general frequency they were all using. +'Heads-up, they're storing Kevin and the Sinovirus _together_ in the same room, I repeat the room where these bastards are holding Kevin is the same one as where they're storing the Sinovirus.'+ Said Trent into his radio in frustration.

Callen stalked the halls with his gun at the ready.

He encountered little resistance, aside from the odd Eraser.

Any problem that Callen encountered was dealt with by an efficient and fluid head-shot.

Callen was hunting for the installation's files room.

He came to a closed door, with voices talking casually behind it.

Callen put his foot through it, and slammed it into the wall, then shot one of the two whitecoats inside, before turning his gun on an Eraser that tried to rush him from the side.

The second whitecoat tried to jab Callen with a syringe, but Callen grabbed the man's arm, and broke his wrist, before catching the syringe, and throwing it into the corner.

'Where's your file room?' Asked Callen neutrally of the whitecoat who's wrist he'd broken.

The man cradled his broken wrist mutely.

'Tell me!' Demanded Callen threateningly levelling his gun at the whitecoat.

'End of the hall, on your right!' Squeaked the whitecoat in fear.

Callen punched him in the head, knocking the man out cold.

He paused, then fixed a cup of coffee from the pot on the counter in the break room,-after some of the things he'd seen in the lab, he needed it to steady his nerves.

'Jesus, Mary and Joseph…' Breathed Sam as he heard what Trent had told them over the radio.

'Put your breathing gear on, and cover all your skin; Looks like we'll have to storm the bastard.' Ordered Sam at last.

+'Copy that Sea-Lion.'+ Came Trent's reply as Sam went too join them.

Callen quietly opened the door to the file room and slipped inside.

A careful sweep of the room revealed no-one else in the room.

Callen jammed a chair under the door handle, then radioed the others.

'I'm in the file room, I'm going to see if I can't dig up anything useful, you'll have to bust Kevin out yourselves, call me when you're done.' Said Callen.

Not waiting for a reply, Callen pulled up a chair facing the door, and called Eric.

'Callen? What do you need?' Asked the technical wizard from his computer back at the ops centre.

'Eric, has your virus spread too the filing room?' Asked Callen calmly.

There was a tapping of keys for a few moments. 'No, the file room is on a separate network, why?' Asked Eric curiously.

Callen plugged his phone into one of the computers. 'Jack me in Eric, then let's steal everything that's nailed down on their files, we might be able to locate some other Sinovirus stores through this.' Said Callen.

A couple of minutes passed, filled with keys tapping, and a mouse clicking; Finally: 'I'm in, and downloading everything that isn't nailed down.'

Callen sat in his seat, alert for any sound, when Eric spoke again. 'Shit, some of these photos…'said Eric in disgusted horror.

'What?' Asked Callen in confusion.

'I'm getting a lot of photo content, and some of these things…there's kids with organs outside their bodies, horrid injuries, and some of these images could be classed as child pornography…if I keep watching this stuff, I'm gonna be sick.' Said Eric in a queasy voice.

A tone sounded on Callen's phone. 'We're done.' Said Callen quickly, as he disconnected his phone after planting Eric's super-virus on the computer.

'Thank god,' breathed Eric 'some of this stuff is just inhumane, if you get a chance, shoot every one of these monsters you can Callen, just shoot them, they deserve anything and _everything_ that happens to them.' Said Eric in a disgusted tone.

Callen went over to the door and listened intently for a second, then put a bullet through the door.

A heavy _thud_, sounded immediately afterward, and Callen ripped the door open, and beheld a dead Eraser on the floor.

'Sea-Lion, Hawk, Status?' Asked Callen calmly.

There was a moments silence. Then: +'We got the kid G, it wasn't easy, but we got him.'+ Confirmed Trent, sounding slightly breathless.

'Good, then let's save everyone we can, then blow this, fucked-to-buggery, house of horrors too the blackest depths of hell.' Said Callen with some heat.

+'Hoo-ah!'+ Said an unfamiliar voice over the radio.

+'That's the spirit Kev'.' Said Trent, and you could just hear a grin in Trent's voice.

Sam pulled on his gloves, then his full-face breath-mask, and joined Hawk just outside the door.

'Kensi, you better take Wren back into that last lab, if the Sinovirus spills out, and there's no reason why it shouldn't, you'll both probably die.' Stated Sam flatly.

Kensi nodded. 'Come on Wren, after they've gotten Kevin, we'll free everyone else, then we'll get out of here, ok?' Said Kensi, as she Shepparded the young winged girl through the doors they'd come through a few minutes before.

When the door shut again, Sam drew a flash-grenade from his combat webbing, and Trent put a wad of C2 low explosive on the lock and hinges.

Sam signalled _ready,_ and Trent detonated the explosive, blowing the door off it's hinges.

Before the dust settled, Sam threw the flash grenade in the room.

_Flash!-Bang!_

As the fallout faded, Sam and Trent charged in.

Trent put a burst through the first Eraser's head, decorating the wall behind him with blood and brains.

But he didn't see the _second_ Eraser hiding below the window line, until it tackled him off his feet.

A _third_ Eraser tried the same trick with Sam, and copped a knee under the chin for the effort, followed by a swift crack to the back of the neck from the butt of Sam's M16.

Sam put a bullet through the Eraser's head, finishing it off, before he turned to see how Trent was doing.

Trent was on his back, grappling the Eraser clawing at his throat.

Suddenly, the Eraser was yanked off of him by it's shirt collar, and hurled against the opposite wall, where it left a spider-web of cracks from it's impact.

Trent emptied his clip into the Eraser, riddling it with scores of holes.

When his gun finally clicked empty, the Eraser was an almost unrecognisable hunk of perforated, bleeding flesh, bone and gristle.

+'Sea-Lion, Hawk; Status?'+ Asked Callen over the radio.

Trent took a moment to catch his breath as Sam cut Kevin's bonds.

'We got the kid G, it wasn't easy, but we got him.' Replied Trent, with a breathless grin.

Trent didn't hear Callen's reply, because he'd given Kevin his headset to thank Callen.'

'Hoo-ah!' Said the boy happily in response to whatever Callen had said.

Trent's grin broadened as he took the headset back. 'That's the spirit Kev'.' Said Trent, as he slapped a fresh magazine into his gun, and Sam watched the hall.

Fifteen minutes later, three United States Marine Corp Super Stallion troop transport helicopters touched down on the lawn surrounding the complex, unchecked, and greeted by a crowd of nervous, and in many cases terrified juvenile recombinants.

Callen, Trent, Sam and Kensi, guided by Wren, had spent ten minutes moving through the various observation labs throughout the facility, freeing recombinants that weren't too far gone, or who were capable of surviving the outside world, and, euthanizing those who were too badly injured, or disfigured to survive.

The transports were escorted by a pair of state-of-the-art, Apache attack-helicopters:

Anything that wanted Kevin would be facing down not only two heavily armed decoys, but two of the most lethal gun-ships in the world.

The doors on the transports slid open, and several armed escorts Shepparded the crowd of recombinants into the helicopters,-chaperoned by their rescuers.

Kevin stuck close too Sam and Trent.

Within two minutes, they were clear.

'Hey Kev'!' Shouted Trent over the roar of the rotor blades.

Kevin looked at Trent with his innocent blue eyes, as Trent handed him a remote detonator.

Kevin grinned with savage pleasure as he remembered the block of C4 that Trent had left in the Sinovirus chamber.

Sam passed Wren a similar device, which was connected too the Thermite-Amatol charges he'd layed earlier.

Wren and Kevin looked at each other.

'Three,' said Wren.

'Two,' replied Kevin.

'One,' said Wren.'

'Go!' They both shouted together, and thumbed the detonators simultaneously.

_KABOOM!_

A catastrophic explosion ripped through the Los Angeles Itex facility, and a gigantic fireball shot a hundred feet through the roof, while the shockwave destroyed the walls,-buckling the outer ones, and lighting up the night sky bright as the noon-day sun.

They weren't to know that it was eerily similar too the blast that had destroyed NCIS headquarters only an hour previously.

'That's for kidnapping me you bastards!' Said Kevin angrily.

'Language,' warned Sam with a grin.

'That was for everything you put me through,' said Wren, she looked like she wanted to say more, but didn't know how to say it.

+'A job well done people, I'm sending the footage to director Vance now.'+ Said Callen over the radio as they flew off.

**Whew, that chapter took FOREVER to get right.**

**Also, thankyou to ****Hideoutwriter**** and ****AgentNerd**** for reviewing, you two are the ones who got this chapter posted.**

**To everyone else: thankyou for reading, but reviews are going to be what keeps the chapters coming.**

**Remember: TWENTY before I move on with what I did in chapter twenty, and I think THIRTY before I go further.**

**So, if you haven't already: Review, and I'll see you in:**

**Chapter Twenty-Two: Countdown**


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